Xsens and C-Motion Record and Model Human Motion

Using Xsens’ inertial sensor-based motion capture system, the motions used in these reports can be performed anywhere – in the lab, on the field, or in an office. Sports science and medical applications can then make use of the data to create human motion reports as a precise way to assess injuries, training routines and performance goals.

Visual3D pulls its biomechanical data from motion capture sessions in a format suitable for research. Researchers using the software can set up and use Xsens’ sensor-based inertial mocap gear, MVN BIOMECH, to record human movement in most settings and not only track the position and orientation of their subjects, but also their velocity and acceleration, to a high degree of accuracy. 

In contrast to optical systems that rely on camera data, inertial motion capture measures both absolute and angular acceleration - the rate at which the speed changes over time. While optical systems derive their motions from positions of markers per captured frame and often need to filter the data to remove jitter, the inertial system is only concerned with the tracked changes in the speed and direction of motion, potentially producing a cleaner result.

“Importing data out of MVN Studio BIOMECH is simple. No coding is required,” said Hein Beute for Xsens. “If a ballplayer is injured, his doctors can put him in our suit, use Visual3D to assess his movement, and then create a detailed, scientifically-based plan for his recovery.”

While athletic performance enhancement and physical therapy applications are directly related use cases, combining reporting with motion capture can also be applied to commercial ergonomic and sports applications, such as companies trying to create a running shoe that favours a particular type of footstrike or a research team tracking posture and repetitive motion.

“Inertial data gives a greater level of freedom and a new type of data customers didn’t have easy access to before,” said Tom Kepple, CTO at C-Motion. “This change will give medical researchers more data and options which can improve the quality of care for their patients.”

C-Motion has defined a specific workflow for exporting data from Xsens, importing it into Visual3D and processing the data for use. See a video overview here. This feature was released in Visual3D v5.02.24 and is available as a free upgrade for all Visual3D customers with active support service. MVN Biomech is available now. www.xsens.com