Upper extremity movement reliability and validity of the Kinect version 2

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Technology
• Motion Analysis

Background:

• Marker-less motion detection systems offer potential for clinical applications.
• Previous studies show varied accuracy for Kinect 2 in balance and joint localization.
• Limited research exists on Kinect 2's validity and reliability for upper extremity movements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the reliability and validity of Kinect 1 and Kinect 2 against a video motion capture (VMC) system.
• To assess the suitability of Kinect systems for upper extremity motion analysis in a clinical setting.

Main Methods:

• One healthy adult male performed six upper extremity movements.
• Simultaneous data collection using Kinect 1, Kinect 2, and VMC systems.
• Data analysis using MATLAB, Microsoft Excel, and SPSS.

Main Results:

• Both Kinect systems demonstrated good within-day reliability.
• Between-day reliability was inconclusive due to movement repetition challenges.
• Kinect systems showed high correlation in motion patterns with VMC, despite differing range of motion magnitudes.

Conclusions:

• Kinect systems can be clinically useful for motion analysis with an understanding of their limitations.
• Within-day assessments are acceptable; between-day comparisons need cautious interpretation.
• Kinect 2 offers a cost-effective, portable, and user-friendly alternative to VMC.