Internationale Zeitschrift für Physikalische Medizin und Rehabilitation
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Setting up a Human Motion Analysis Laboratory: Camera Positioning for Kinematic Recording of Gait

Marcelo Riberto, Rogério Ferreira Liporaci, Fernando Vieira and José Batista Volpon

This article compares the techniques used for camera positioning in a study room, proposing optimized data collection for three-dimensional analysis. This study analyzed the usable recording volume of three different video camera layouts: six equidistant cameras (C6), 8 equidistant cameras (C8E) and 8 cameras using enhanced positioning techniques (C8EP). In the last configuration, we attempted to place the cameras in certain locations in the room so that they had the same capture volume. It was observed that the volume of the 8 equidistant camera layout remained practically the same as that using the 6 camera layout (C6=10.579 m³ C8E x=11.565 m³). Regarding the enhanced positioning layout (C8EP), a 37% gain in usable walkway length was obtained, along with a 14% gain in width, 34% in height, and a consequent increase of 110% in total volume (22.247 m³). Although most modern kinematic analysis software have tools that are able to fill in the markings trajectory, the enhanced positioning camera layout provides more accurate information and data interpretation, besides ensuring better usage of rooms with restricted dimensions. The considerable gain in vertical dimension allows for the evaluation of performed activities at a higher level, such as those involving the upper limbs or steps.