Tools for the Biomechanical Analysis of Human Movement

我的研究生涯专注于通过创建创新的工程工具来分析、分类和解释人体运动数据，从而提高其效用。在发现基金的支持下，我和我的学生一起工作，我的研究对分类工具的发展做出了重大贡献，这些工具可以检测运动模式的差异，计算模型可以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。这项工作的影响是显而易见的，这些方法在人体运动研究的吸收；然而，人体运动数据在应用研究和实际应用中的整合仍然存在很大的障碍。识别和解决这些障碍是我目前的动力，也是我当前和未来研究的目标。无标记动作捕捉是一种新兴的用于估计人体多体模型的三维位置和姿态的技术。现在，数据可以在摄像机可以记录拍摄对象的任何地方即时收集，同时几乎消除了拍摄对象的准备时间。受试者与研究者之间没有接触，受试者的数据是在穿着自己的衣服的情况下收集的，消除了研究需要最少的紧身衣服的障碍。为了充分实现无标记动作捕捉的潜力，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。由于采用计算机视觉和机器学习，提高了人类运动数据收集的自动化程度，这将大大提高我们在一小部分时间内以一小部分成本生成高质量数据的能力。由于现有技术的许多限制，以前在生物力学中从未实现过的大规模纵向数据收集将成为可能。我们正在开发能够评估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，消除了不必要的物理接触，这是一个显著的优势，它将帮助研究人员招募更多样化的受试者群体，因为它克服了许多参与障碍，包括消除了对简约紧身服装的需求，以及到达运动实验室所需的旅行。这项工作可能最终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.