Doctors and physiotherapists can now make a more accurate diagnosis of patients with injuries or posture problems following a link between award-winning motion capture company, Animazoo, and software specialists aXtion.
The link will enable medical professionals to make faster, more in-depth diagnoses based on scientific data and analysis recorded using motion capture. aXtion worked with TNO, a knowledge and research organization, to independently test motion capture systems before embarking on the project.
"This strategic link gives a whole new industry sector access to motion capture technology which, due to the complexity of optical systems, was only available to University research teams," said Ali Kord, Founder and Chief Technology Officer at Animazoo. "The technology will be able to analyze angular velocity and magnitude of the patient's motion, translating it into data and visual imagery that is simple to understand for the physiotherapist. It brings to life the analysis of injuries for medical teams, comparing the data with that of a healthy human body, indicating precisely the problem of the patient."
The mocap measures angles and tracks movements to provide powerful gait analysis. To use it, the physiotherapist straps the patient's body into a motion capture system consisting of special high-speed gyroscopic sensors. The patient performs a series of simple exercises that show up on a computer screen as graphics.
aXtion created the biomechanical software for this product. Yolanda Marani, Founder of aXtion said, "Working with Animazoo has enabled us to import very accurate data direct from the patient into our database software system. We can now produce more scientific, diagnostic information never available before. The technology will also offer medical professionals the added benefit of comparing their patient's problems with that of other patients around the country."
TNO independently tested a number of mocap systems before selecting Animazoo's IGS-190.
Wiltfried Pathuis, Scientist at TNO ICT said, "We tested a range of options and Animazoo was selected for its accuracy and ease of use. We needed a proven solution, which sticks to the basics: reliable, accurate motion capture. Animazoo delivered just what aXtion needed with the IGS-190. Other solutions on the market add some interpretation or correction of the motion data onto internal (biomechanical) models and also need some calibration methods which simply cannot be performed by the patients. For this purpose, it needed non-interpreted motion data. We looked at other manufacturers of inertial gyroscopic systems and optical systems but found the solutions insufficiently matching our criteria."
Prior to the availability of motion capture, medical professionals would have to diagnose by sight what the problem was with a patient and make a recommendation for treatment. Where the benefit of a second opinion was required, a two-dimensional video would have to be dispatched to the third party. This is now available online in an instant.
Online access to data also offers the additional benefit of the ability to compare other factors affecting the patient. Each recording will go into a national database to build a picture for comparison by medical professionals. The impact of factors such as the environment can be compared with other cases online.
