Flight Controller as a Low-Cost IMU Sensor for Human Motion Measurement

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Sensor Technology
• Human Motion Analysis

Background:

• Human motion analysis relies on accurate position and orientation data.
• Current methods like VICON and IMU sensors are costly and have limitations in data acquisition rates.
• There is a need for low-cost, high-performance solutions for human body pose estimation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adapt drone flight controllers for human body pose estimation and acceleration measurements.
• To evaluate the performance and cost-effectiveness of flight controllers against commercial sensors.
• To present the practical usability and discuss challenges of using flight controllers in motion analysis.

Main Methods:

• Utilized drone flight controllers as sensors for human motion capture.
• Developed a test setup to integrate and evaluate flight controller sensors.
• Compared the efficiency and dynamic response of flight controller sensors with commercial IMU sensors (e.g., Xsens).

Main Results:

• Demonstrated the adaptation of drone flight controllers for human motion analysis.
• Showcased flight controllers as a low-cost alternative to expensive optical and IMU systems.
• Presented practical usability and discussed sensor dynamic response issues.

Conclusions:

• Drone flight controllers offer a viable, cost-effective solution for human body pose estimation.
• The proposed method provides a high-performance alternative for motion analysis applications.
• Further investigation into dynamic response is needed for optimal IMU-based acceleration measurements.