Development of an exoskeleton-based motion capture system

运动捕捉是实时识别人体关节和身体部分运动的过程。动作捕捉系统在游戏行业、物理治疗评估、体育、培训和电影行业都有应用。现有的动作捕捉技术存在一些缺陷，限制了它们的应用。这些缺点包括成本高、捕获面积小、遮挡、对外部噪声敏感等。我们的工业合作伙伴Bigmotion Technologies Inc.在可穿戴运动跟踪和医疗保健技术领域。该公司开发了一种创新的可穿戴设备，用于运动跟踪和健康监测。在这个项目中，我们计划开发一种新的基于外骨骼的运动捕捉设备，以解决市场上现有设备的一些缺点。在这个研究项目中，我们将开发一种轻量级的、拟人化的下肢外骨骼，它可以覆盖每个关节的全范围运动。然后我们将包括传感器和其他测量关节角度位置所需的电子设备。最后，我们将开发一种传感器融合算法，将这些传感器读数转换为人体关节运动。这项研究有很高的潜力作为产品销售，并为加拿大人创造就业机会。我们还将培养加拿大就业市场高度需要的生物医学工程、动作捕捉和信号处理领域的高素质人才。

Motion capturing is a process of identifying human joints and body segment motion in real-time. Motioncapturing system have applications in gaming industries, physiotherapy assessments, sports, training, andmovie industries. The existing technologies for motion capturing have shortcomings which limit theirapplication. Those include high cost, small capture area, occlusions, sensitivity to external noise, etc. Ourindustrial partner, Bigmotion Technologies Inc. is in the area of wearable motion tracking and healthcaretechnologies. The company has developed an innovative wearable device for motion tracking and healthmonitoring purposes. In this project, we are planning to develop a new, exoskeleton-based motion capturedevice that addresses some of the shortcomings of existing devices in the market.In this research project, we will develop a lightweight and anthropomorphic lower limb exoskeleton that cancover full range of motion of motion in each joint. Then we will include sensors and other electronics neededto measure the angular position of joints. Finally, we will develop a sensor fusion algorithm to convert thesensor readings to human joints motion. This research has a high potential to be marketed as a product andcreates job opportunities for Canadians. We will also train highly qualified personnel in the area of biomedicalengineering, motion capturing, and signal processing that is highly demanded in the Canadian job market.