Tools for the Biomechanical Analysis of Human Movement

我的研究生涯致力于通过为人体运动数据的分析、分类和解释创建创新的工程工具来提高人体运动数据的实用性。与我的学生一起工作，并得到探索基金的支持，我的研究对分类工具的开发做出了重大贡献，这些工具可以检测运动模式的差异，并通过计算模型赋予这些差异物理意义。除了改进应用科学之外，这些工具还提供了对特定运动模式背后的基本过程的洞察。这项工作的影响从这些方法在人体运动研究中的采用中可见一斑；然而，在应用研究和实际应用中整合人体运动数据仍然存在很大的障碍。识别和解决这些障碍是目前激励我的原因，也是我当前和未来研究的目标所在。无标记运动捕捉是一种用于估计人体多体模型的3D位置和方向(姿势)的新兴技术。现在，摄像机可以在任何可以记录受试者的地方即时收集数据，同时几乎消除了受试者的准备时间。受试者和研究人员之间没有接触，受试者的数据是在穿着自己的衣服时收集的，这消除了研究需要最小限度的紧身衣服的障碍。为了充分实现无标记运动捕捉的潜力并利用原始数据的新灵活性，我的研究计划的重点将是开发下一代生物力学分析工具。由于计算机视觉和机器学习的采用，提高了人体运动数据收集的自动化程度，这将大大提高我们在很短的时间内以很小的成本大量生成高质量数据的能力。由于现有技术的许多限制，在生物力学中以前从未可能实现的大规模、纵向数据收集将成为可能。我们正在开发可以评估整个自然环境中运动的工具。通过一种完全非接触式的生物力学数据收集方法消除不必要的身体接触是一个显著的优势，将有助于研究人员招募更多样化的受试者，因为它克服了参与的许多障碍，包括消除了对极简主义紧身衣的需要，以及到达运动实验室所需的旅行。这项工作最终可能使生物力学工具得到更广泛的应用，改善对临床运动障碍、肌肉骨骼疾病、损伤和运动表现的研究。

My research career is focused on improving the utility of human movement data by creating innovative engineering tools for its analysis, classification and interpretation. Working with my students, and supported by Discovery Grant funding, my research has contributed significantly to the development of classification tools to detect differences in movement patterns and computational models to give these differences physical meaning. In addition to improving applied science, these tools have provided insight into the fundamental processes underlying a given movement pattern. The influence of this work is evident by the uptake of these methods in human movement research; however, there remains large barriers to the integration of human movement data in applied research and practical applications. Identifying and resolving these barriers is what currently motivates me and where the target of my current and future research has been set. Markerless motion capture is an emerging technology for estimating the 3D position and orientation (pose) of a human multibody model. Data can now be instantly collected anywhere that video cameras can record the subject, while virtually eliminating preparation time for the subject. There is no contact between the subject and the researcher, and subjects' data are collected while wearing their own clothing, removing the barrier of requiring minimal tight fitting clothing for research. To fully realize the potential of markerless motion capture and to take advantage of the new flexibility in raw data, the focus of my research program will be developing the next generation of biomechanical analysis tools. Increasing the automation of human movement data collection as a result of the adoption of computer vision and machine learning will substantially increase our ability to generate high quality data at volume in a fraction of the time for a fraction of the cost. Large scale, longitudinal data collections that have never before been possible in biomechanics due to the many limitations of existing technology will become achievable. We are developing tools that can assess movement throughout the natural environment. Eliminating unnecessary physical proximity through a completely contactless approach to biomechanical data collection is a significant advantage and will help researchers recruit a more diverse group of subjects because it overcomes many barriers to participation, including eliminating the need for minimalistic tight-fitting clothing, and the travel required to get to a motion laboratory. This work may finally allow the adoption of biomechanical tools into wider use, improving the study of clinical movement disorders, musculoskeletal diseases, injuries, and athletic performance.