Maxime Raison

Detection of gait cycles in treadmill walking using a Kinect

Treadmill walking is commonly used to analyze several gait cycles in a limited space. Depth cameras, such as the low-cost and easy-to-use Kinect sensor, look promising for gait analysis on a treadmill for routine outpatient clinics. However, gait analysis is based on accurately detecting gait events (such as heel-strike) by tracking the feet which may be incorrectly recognized with Kinect. Indeed depth images could lead to confusion between the ground and the feet around the contact phase. To tackle this problem we assume that heel-strike events could be indirectly estimated by searching for extreme values of the distance between knee joints along the walking longitudinal axis. To evaluate this assumption, the motion of 11 healthy subjects walking on a treadmill was recorded using both an optoelectronic system and Kinect. The measures were compared to reference heel-strike events obtained with vertical foot velocity. When using the optoelectronic system to assess knee joints, heel-strike estimation errors were very small (29±18ms) leading to small cycle durations errors (0±15ms). To locate knees in depth map (Kinect), we used anthropometrical data to select the body point located at a constant height where the knee should be based on a reference posture. This Kinect approach gave heel-strike errors of 17±24ms (mean cycle duration error: 0±12ms). Using this same anthropometric methodology with optoelectronic data, the heel-strike error was 12±12ms (mean cycle duration error: 0±11ms). Compared to previous studies using Kinect, heel-strike and gait cycles were more accurately estimated, which could improve clinical gait analysis with such sensor.

Coupling between 3D displacements and rotations at the glenohumeral joint during dynamic tasks in healthy participants

BACKGROUND Glenohumeral displacements assessment would help to design shoulder prostheses with physiological arthrokinematics and to establish more biofidelic musculoskeletal models. Though displacements were documented during static tasks, there is little information on their 3D coupling with glenohumeral angle during dynamic tasks. Our objective was to characterize the 3D glenohumeral displacement-rotation couplings during dynamic arm elevations and rotations. METHODS Glenohumeral displacements were measured from trajectories of reflective markers fitted on intracortical pins inserted into the scapula and humerus. Bone geometry was recorded using CT-scan. Only four participants were recruited to the experiment due to its invasiveness. Participants performed dynamic arm abduction, flexion and axial rotations. Linear regressions were performed between glenohumeral displacements and rotations. The pin of the scapula of one participant moved, his data were removed from analysis, and results are based on three participants. FINDINGS The measurement error of glenohumeral kinematics was less than 0.15mm and 0.2°. Maximum glenohumeral displacements were measured along the longitudinal direction and reached up to +12.4mm for one participant. Significant couplings were reported especially between longitudinal displacement and rotation in abduction (adjusted R(2) up to 0.94). INTERPRETATION The proposed method provides the potential to investigate glenohumeral kinematics during all kinds of movements. A linear increase of upward displacement during dynamic arm elevation was measured, which contrasts with results based on a series of static poses. The systematic investigation of glenohumeral displacements under dynamic condition may help to provide relevant recommendation for the design of shoulder prosthetic components and musculoskeletal models.

Measurement and Description of Three-Dimensional Shoulder Range of Motion With Degrees of Freedom Interactions

The shoulder is the most mobile joint of the human body due to bony constraint scarcity and soft tissue function unlocking several degrees of freedom (DOF). Clinical evaluation of the shoulder range of motion (RoM) is often limited to a few monoplanar measurements where each DOF varies independently. The main objective of this study was to provide a method and its experimental approach to assess shoulder 3D RoM with DOF interactions. Sixteen participants performed four series of active arm movements with maximal amplitude consisting in (1) elevations with fixed arm axial rotations (elevation series), (2) axial rotations at different elevations (rotation series), both in five planes of elevation, (3) free arm movements with the instruction to fill the largest volume in space while varying hand orientation (random series), and (4) a combination of elevation and rotation series (overall series). A motion analysis system combined with an upper limb kinematic model was used to estimate the 3D joint kinematics. Thoracohumeral Euler angles with correction were chosen to represent rotations. The angle-time-histories were treated altogether to analyze their 3D interaction. Then, all 3D angular poses were included into a nonconvex hull representing the RoM space accounting for DOF interactions. The effect of series of movements (n = 4) on RoM volumes was tested with a one-way repeated-measures ANOVA followed by Bonferroni posthoc analysis. A normalized 3D RoM space was defined by including 3D poses common to a maximal number of participants into a hull of average volume. A significant effect of the series of movements (p < 0.001) on the volumes of thoracohumeral RoM was found. The overall series measured the largest RoM with an average volume of 3.46 ± 0.89 million cubic degrees. The main difference between the series of movements was due to axial rotation. A normalized RoM hull with average volume was found by encompassing arm poses common to more than 50% of the participants. In general, the results confirmed and characterized the complex 3D interaction of shoulder RoM between the DOF. The combination of elevation and rotation series (overall series) is recommended to fully evaluate shoulder RoM. The normalized 3D RoM hull is expected to provide a reliable reference to evaluate shoulder function in clinical research and for defining physiologic continuous limits in 3D shoulder computer simulation models.

Glenohumeral translations during range-of-motion movements, activities of daily living, and sports activities in healthy participants.

BACKGROUND Glenohumeral translations have been mainly investigated during static poses while shoulder rehabilitation exercises, activities of daily living, and sports activities are dynamic. Our objective was to assess glenohumeral translations during shoulder rehabilitation exercises, activities of daily living, and sports activities to provide a preliminary analysis of glenohumeral arthrokinematics in a broad range of dynamic tasks. METHODS Glenohumeral translations were computed from trajectories of markers fitted to intracortical pins inserted into the scapula and the humerus. Two participants (P1 and P2) performed full range-of-motion movements including maximum arm elevations and internal-external rotations rehabilitation exercises, six activities of daily living, and five sports activities. FINDINGS During range-of-motion movements, maximum upward translation was 7.5mm (P1) and 4.7mm (P2). Upward translation during elevations was smaller with the arm internally (3.6mm (P1) and 2.9mm (P2)) than neutrally (4.2mm (P1) and 3.7mm (P2)) and externally rotated (4.3mm (P1) and 4.3mm (P2)). For activities of daily living and sports activities, only anterior translation during reach axilla for P1 and upward translation during ball throwing for P2 were larger than the translation measured during range-of-motion movements (108% and 114%, respectively). INTERPRETATION While previous electromyography-based studies recommended external rotation during arm elevation to minimize upward translation, measures of glenohumeral translations suggest that internal rotation may be better. Similar amplitude of translation during ROM movement and sports activities suggests that large excursions of the humeral head may be caused not only by fast movements, but also by large amplitude movements.

Assessment of Antagonistic Muscle Forces During Forearm Flexion/Extension

Today, the accurate assessment of muscle forces performed by the human body in motion is still expected for many clinical applications and studies. However, as most of the joints are overactuated by several muscles, any non-invasive muscle force quantification needs to solve a redundancy problem. Consequently, the aim of this study is to propose a non-invasive method to assess muscle forces in the human body during motion, using a multibody model-based optimization process that attempts to solve the agonistic and antagonistic muscle overactuation. The main originality of the proposed method is the cautious using of Electromyographic (EMG) data information, known by all to be noisy-corrupted, via a protocol divided into two main steps: 1. Muscle force static calibration, 2. Muscle force dynamical quantification.

Glenohumeral joint kinematics measured by intracortical pins, reflective markers, and computed tomography: A novel technique to assess acromiohumeral distance

Combination of biplane fluoroscopy and CT-scan provides accurate 3D measurement of the acromiohumeral distance (AHD) during dynamic tasks. However, participants performed only two and six trials in previous experiments to respect the recommended radiation exposure per year. Our objective was to propose a technique to assess the AHD in 3D during dynamic tasks without this limitation. The AHD was computed from glenohumeral kinematics obtained using markers fitted to pins drilled into the scapula and the humerus combined with 3D bone geometry obtained using CT-scan. Four participants performed range-of-motion, daily-living, and sports activities. Sixty-six out of 158trials performed by each participant were analyzed. Two participants were not considered due to experimental issues. AHD decreased with arm elevation. Overall, the smallest AHD occurred in abduction (1.1mm (P1) and 1.2mm (P2)). The smallest AHD were 2.4mm (P1) and 3.1mm (P2) during ADL. It was 2.8mm (P1) and 1.1mm (P2) during sports activities. The humeral head greater and lesser tuberosities came the nearest to the acromion. The proposed technique increases the number of trials acquired during one experiment compared to previous. The identification of movements maximizing AHD is possible, which may provide benefits for shoulder rehabilitation.

Impact of muscle activation on ranges of motion during active elbow movement in children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy

BACKGROUND Children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy are restricted in their daily activities due to limited active ranges of motion of their involved upper limb, specifically at the elbow. Their impaired muscles are frequently targeted by anti-spastic treatments that reduce muscle tone. But these treatments do not necessarily improve the limb function. There is a lack of comprehensive knowledge of the quantitative relations between muscle activation and joint active ranges of motion. Consequently, the objective of this study is to quantify the impact of muscle activation on the elbow active ranges of motion. METHODS During voluntary elbow pronation/supination and extension/flexion movements, kinematic and electromyographic measurements were collected from the involved upper limb of 15 children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy (mean age=8.7 years, standard deviation=2.2) and the dominant upper limb of 15 age-matched children who are typically developing. Representative indicators of the muscle activation, such as the muscle co-activation, were extracted from the electromyographic measurements. FINDINGS Muscle co-activation in the involved upper limb accounted for 78% and 59% of the explained variance of the supination and extension limited active ranges of motion respectively. The agonist and antagonist muscle activations were both longer in the involved upper limb. INTERPRETATIONS This study succeeded in quantifying the impact of longer antagonist muscle activation on decreased elbow active ranges of motion in children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Longer agonist muscle activation suggests that strengthening agonist muscles could increase the extension and supination ranges of motion, which constitutes a perspective of future clinical studies.

From Inverse Kinematics to Optimal Control

Numerical optimal control (the approximation of an optimal trajectory using numerical iterative algorithms) is a promising approach to compute the control of complex dynamical systems whose instantaneous linearization is not meaningful. Aside from the problems of computation cost, these methods raise several conceptual problems, like stability, robustness, or simply understanding of the nature of the obtained solution. In this chapter, we propose a rewriting of the Differential Dynamic Programing solver. Our variant is more efficient and numerically more interesting. Furthermore, it draws some interesting comparisons with the classical inverse formulation: in particular, we show that inverse kinematics can be seen as singular case of it, when the preview horizon collapses.

Agreement of spatio-temporal gait parameters between a vertical ground reaction force decomposition algorithm and a motion capture system

INTRODUCTION A ground reaction force decomposition algorithm based on large force platform measurements has recently been developed to analyze ground reaction forces under each foot during the double support phase of gait. However, its accuracy for the measurement of the spatiotemporal gait parameters remains to be established. OBJECTIVE The aim of the present study was to establish the agreement between the spatiotemporal gait parameters obtained using (1) a walkway (composed of six large force platforms) and the newly developed algorithm, and (2) an optoelectronic motion capture system. METHODS Twenty healthy children and adolescents (age range: 6-17 years) and 19 healthy adults (age range: 19-51 years) participated in this study. They were asked to walk at their preferred speed and at a speed that was faster than the preferred one. Each participant performed three blocks of three trials in each of the two walking speed conditions. RESULTS The spatiotemporal gait parameters measured with the algorithm did not differ by more than 2.5% from those obtained with the motion capture system. The limits of agreement represented between 3% and 8% of the average spatiotemporal gait parameters. Repeatability of the algorithm was slightly higher than that of the motion capture system as the coefficient of variations ranged from 2.5% to 6%, and from 1.5% to 3.5% for the algorithm and the motion capture system, respectively. CONCLUSION The proposed algorithm provides valid and repeatable spatiotemporal gait parameter measurements and offers a promising tool for clinical gait analysis. Further studies are warranted to test the algorithm in people with impaired gait.

Development of a Bracelet With Strain-Gauge Matrix for Movement Intention Identification in Traumatic Amputees

Myoelectric prosthesis is an electronic device designed to mimic human anatomy and to replace a missing body part for an amputee. Today some prostheses can provide the users with several degrees of freedom. But the major challenges in their design remain related to the control of such devices using a variety of sensors. Regarding this aspect, strain gauges are considered of great interest for strain measurements on the human body for their simplicity, availability, and low cost. Therefore, the use of these strain gauges to identify movement intentions could allow one to design innovative myoelectric prostheses, which would be robust, simple, and less expensive in comparison to using electromyography. Nevertheless, to our knowledge, identifying the movement intentions using strain gauge measurements has yet to be explored. The objective of this paper is to develop a sensor and a method capable of identifying the intentions of the upper limb movements. The developed sensor is a silicone bracelet equipped with a matrix of 16 strain gauges. The small skin deformations were measured by the proposed bracelet and then classified to identify the intentions of movements. A test was performed on one adult female, who underwent amputation of the left forearm (traumatic transhumeral amputee), equipped with the bracelet placed on her upper arm while performing upper limb motions (flexion and extension). The results showed that all studied movements were adequately identified. Specifically, the elbow flexion/extension was identified in 96% of the cases.