Ranging Inertial Motion Capture (RIMC) System

ABSTRACT: It is often desirable to track over time the position and posture of a human body in 3D space. Current state of the art relies in motion capture technologies, such as Vicon. While these technologies are extremely accurate, they are also expensive, take substantial time to install, and require a user to wear specialized clothing with fiducials. Motion capture is used for a wide range of applications, including ground truth data collection, physical therapy, athletic training, video games, and movies. Robotic Research, LLC, (RR) with physical therapist Dr. Ryan K. Smith PT, DPT, OCS propose to create the Ranging Inertial Motion Capture (RIMC) system, which seeks to create a new motion capture technology. This new system maintains the accuracy of current systems and gives data at a high sampling frequency. In addition, the new system eliminates the disadvantages of the old systems. It reduces cost, simplifies installation, and does not requiring the subject to wear visible fiducials. To perform these functions, RIMC combines Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) with aiding sensors and techniques to determine the position and posture of the subject. If desired, a subject"s vital statistics (e.g., heartbeat, EEG, perspiration, and respiratory rate) can also be measured. BENEFIT: Potential commercial applications from this research could include motion capture systems to help researchers and doctors record motion in realistic settings.