Development of a Low-Cost Markerless Optical Motion Capture System for Gait Analysis and Anthropometric Parameter...

Area of Science:

• Biomechanical Engineering
• Computer Vision
• Human Motion Analysis

Background:

• Commercial motion capture systems are often complex and expensive.
• There is a need for cost-effective and accessible motion capture solutions.
• Advancements in depth sensing and computer vision enable new approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a low-cost, markerless optical motion capture system.
• To assess the system's accuracy in capturing anthropometric data, joint angles, and gait parameters.
• To provide a simple and affordable tool for biomechanical analysis.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a RealSense depth camera and intelligent computer vision algorithms.
• Developed algorithms for real-time posture assessment and joint angle calculation.
• Acquired subject-specific anthropometric data for gait analysis.
• Stored data in comma-separated value (CSV) files for easy analysis.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated a maximum relative error of 7.6% in anthropometric measurements.
• Achieved a maximum absolute error of 4.67 cm for average height measurements.
• Stride length measurements showed a maximum relative error of 11.2%.
• Static and dynamic joint angle tests yielded maximum average errors of 10.2% and 9.06%, respectively.

Conclusions:

• The proposed markerless optical system provides sufficient accuracy for various applications.
• The system's simplicity and affordability make it a viable alternative to commercial solutions.
• Potential applications include rehabilitation, sports analysis, and entertainment.