Passive reflective skin markers serve as the fundamental link between physical anatomy and digital analysis. By placing them on specific bony landmarks, motion capture systems can reflect infrared light to pinpoint critical anatomical centers. This process allows researchers to accurately reconstruct human segment vectors, enabling the precise calculation of joint rotation angles essential for evaluating footwear performance.
The placement of markers on specific anatomical landmarks is not arbitrary; it is the only way to define the geometry of body segments (thighs, legs, feet). This transforms raw motion data into meaningful insights regarding biomechanical alignment and support.
The Mechanics of Motion Capture
Establishing Anatomical Centers
Motion capture systems rely on infrared light reflecting off passive markers to identify the body's position in space.
However, cameras cannot inherently distinguish a knee from an ankle.
To solve this, markers are attached to specific anatomical landmarks, such as the greater trochanter, femoral condyle, and malleolus.
Creating Segment Vectors
Once the system identifies these landmarks, it mathematically connects the dots.
These connections establish human segment vectors, defining the rigid bodies of the thighs, lower legs, and feet.
Without these defined segments, the computer sees only a cloud of points rather than a biomechanical model.
Why Anatomy Matters in Footwear Testing
Calculating Joint Rotation
The primary goal of gait analysis in this context is to measure how joints move under the influence of different footwear.
By comparing the changing angles between segment vectors, researchers calculate joint rotation angles.
This data reveals how a shoe influences movement, such as the degree of knee flexion or ankle rotation during a stride.
Ensuring Meaningful Data
Data is only valuable if it accurately represents human physiology.
Attaching markers to landmarks ensures that the resulting data regarding support and alignment is anatomically meaningful.
This distinguishes valid biomechanical testing from simple motion tracking.
Understanding the Trade-offs
Sensitivity to Placement
The accuracy of the entire system hinges on the precise identification of landmarks.
If a marker is placed incorrectly—missing the true center of the malleolus, for example—the calculated segment vector will be skewed.
Line-of-Sight Requirements
Because these markers are passive and rely on reflecting infrared light, they must remain visible to the cameras.
The system requires a clear line of sight to the anatomical landmarks to maintain the integrity of the segment vectors throughout the gait cycle.
Ensuring Validity in Gait Analysis
To ensure your footwear testing yields actionable data, consider the following focus areas:
- If your primary focus is Biomechanical Accuracy: Prioritize the precise palpation and placement of markers on bony landmarks like the femoral condyle to define accurate vectors.
- If your primary focus is Product Evaluation: Use the resulting joint rotation angles to directly correlate specific shoe features with changes in wearer alignment and support.
Precision in marker placement is the prerequisite for drawing valid conclusions about footwear performance.
Summary Table:
| Component | Role in Gait Analysis | Impact on Footwear Testing |
|---|---|---|
| Passive Markers | Reflect infrared light to cameras | Defines the digital body model in 3D space |
| Anatomical Landmarks | Bony reference points (e.g., Malleolus) | Ensures mathematical accuracy of joint centers |
| Segment Vectors | Connects identified landmarks | Forms the rigid bodies (foot/leg) to track movement |
| Rotation Angles | Measures angular change between vectors | Evaluates how a shoe affects biomechanical alignment |
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References
- Abdul Aziz Hulleck, Kinda Khalaf. BlazePose-Seq2Seq: Leveraging Regular RGB Cameras for Robust Gait Assessment. DOI: 10.1109/tnsre.2024.3391908
This article is also based on technical information from 3515 Knowledge Base .
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