Scribd
Upload
37 views

Lecture 1 McGinnis4E PP Chap16

Quantitative biomechanical analysis involves measuring human movement and the underlying causes using specialized equipment and instrumentation. This includes tools for measuring kinematics like position, velocity and acceleration using video cameras, accelerometers and motion capture systems. It also includes measuring kinetics like forces using force platforms, force transducers and pressure sensors. Advances in technology now make complex biomechanical analysis more accessible and portable.

Uploaded by

ghorkalyugyt
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
37 views

Lecture 1 McGinnis4E PP Chap16

Quantitative biomechanical analysis involves measuring human movement and the underlying causes using specialized equipment and instrumentation. This includes tools for measuring kinematics like position, velocity and acceleration using video cameras, accelerometers and motion capture systems. It also includes measuring kinetics like forces using force platforms, force transducers and pressure sensors. Advances in technology now make complex biomechanical analysis more accessible and portable.

Uploaded by

ghorkalyugyt
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 24

CHAPTER 16

Technology
in Biomechanics
Objectives
• Define quantitative biomechanical analysis

• Discuss how measurement of biomechanical variables may


influence the variables themselves

• Discuss instrumentation used for measuring kinematic


parameters in biomechanics

• Discuss instrumentation used for measuring kinetic


parameters in biomechanics
Quantitative Biomechanical Analysis
• Involves actual measurement of human movement and the
underlying causes of the movement

• Quantification: description with numbers

• Formerly required specialized equipment and immense


effort

• Smartphone apps now make quantification widely available


When to Use a Quantitative Biomechanical
Analysis
• When changes in biomechanical variables may be
indistinguishable without special instruments
• Movements too quick or kinematic changes too subtle

• Sport: monitor changes over a season or career


• Ergonomics and human factors: determine the cause of
overuse injuries
• Clinical biomechanists determine effects of medical
interventions on rehabilitation
Biomechanical Variables Quantified

Temporal
• Timing

Kinematic
• Position, displacement, velocity, acceleration

Kinetic
• Force, energy, work, power
Measurement Issues
Technology used must minimize influence on performance

• Noninvasive
• Parameter measured must be valid

• Accurate and precise


• Quantified with minimal measurement error
• Error least tolerable in research, more tolerable in clinical or
sport application
Laboratory Data Collection
• Labs allow for careful control of the environment
• Control helps minimize measurement error
• But novelty of the environment may affect performance, so
duplicate natural setting as much as possible

• Conditions similar for each repeat of skill performance


• Much of the instrumentation is permanently set-up

• Performer must become familiar with the environment


In-the-Field Data Collection
• Actual competition may be the best environment for athlete
• Familiarity with the setting
• High motivation and performance level

• But not the best for data collection


• Technology not easily portable
• Instrumentation not easily mounted in competitive setting
• Limited control of the environment
• Restricted locations for recording instrumentation
• Crowd control issues
Analog Signals and Sampling Rate
• Most biomechanical parameters vary with time
• Require measurement throughout the performance
• Many instruments record the variable in analog form
• Electronic voltage
• For processing via computer, converted to digital form
• Analog to digital convertor
• Measure voltage (signal) at discrete times
• Sampling rate or sampling frequency
• Video: frames per second (fps)
Video Sampling Frequencies

• Typical consumer video camera: 30 to 60 fps


• Smartphones and digital cameras: 120 to 240 fps
• High speed video cameras: 1,000 fps (but lower resolution)

• For most analyses: less than 100 fps adequate


• Faster action and impacts requires higher fps
Tools for Measuring Biomechanical Variables

• From stopwatches to synchronized multicamera systems


• Constantly evolving instrumentation and techniques

• Two general categories


1. Tools for measuring kinematics
• Position, velocity, acceleration
2. Tools for measuring kinetics
• Force
Kinematics: Timing Devices
• Simple watch appropriate for approximation of long events

• Automatic timing devices appropriate for more accuracy


• Pressure-sensitive mats trigger step-on and step-off
• Photogates use light beam to trigger on-off as beams broken

• Set triggers known distance apart provides average speed


𝐝𝐝𝐝𝐝𝐝𝐝𝐝𝐝𝐝𝐝𝐝𝐝𝐝𝐝𝐝𝐝
• Speed =
𝐭𝐭𝐭𝐭𝐭𝐭𝐭𝐭
Kinematics: Velocity Measuring Systems
• Measure instantaneous speed

• Radar guns (police speed traps)


• Ball and other implement speeds

• LIDAR (light detection and ranging)


• More tightly focused than radar
• Useful to measure individual runners within a group
Kinematics: Optical Imaging Systems
• Video cameras
• Provide sequential two-dimensional images at specific time
intervals
• Calibrated with object of known dimensions provides real-life units

• Position recorded in sequential images provides displacement


• Velocity = displacement / time
• Acceleration = △ velocity / △ time

• Special software computes 3D coordinates from multi-cameras


• Automatic digitizing
• Light reflective markers tracked by cameras, auto-digitized with software
Light Reflective Markers
Kinematics: Accelerometers
Device for directly measuring acceleration

• Sample at high sampling rates (1,000 samples per second)


• Light and small in size
• Attached to object of interest provides acceleration at point of attachment
• Triaxial accelerometer provides 3D acceleration measure

• Useful for impact analysis


• Helmet evaluation
• Mount on headform dropped onto a rigid surface
Kinematics: Motion Capture Systems
• MOCAP systems record 3D motion of the whole body

• Typical system
• Six or more video cameras
• Marker system or set (> 50 markers, two or more per segment)
• Specialized software and hardware

• Expensive but accurate and reliable


• Research labs
• Clinical gait analysis
• Digitizing performers for video games and movie animation
Kinetics: Force Platforms
• Measure reaction forces in 3D
• Normal contact force (vertical)
• Friction force in anterior-posterior direction
• Friction force in medial-lateral direction
Resultant reaction force and point of application of the resultant

• Clinical gait analysis to evaluate disease progress or rehab


• Athletics to understand technique difference
• Shoe research labs to evaluate design and materials
Force Platform
Kinetics: Force Transducers
• Devices to measure force
• Force platform includes multiple transducers

• Measures strain (changes in length divided by original


length)

• Sports: design gymnastics bars, oar in rowing


• Orthopedics
• Attached to artificial joint surfaces, ligaments, tendons
Measure loads in vivo
Kinetics: Pressure Sensors
• Typically thin mats with arrays of imbedded force sensors
• Quantify pressure on small areas under the foot

• Gait analysis: effect of orthotics and shoes


• Important in treating foot disorders in diabetics
• Ski boot design: pressure on sole of foot
Pressure-Measuring Insoles
Electromyography

Measures electrical activity of a muscle


• Surface electrodes: placed on skin over muscle of interest
• Indwelling electrodes: inserted into muscle of interest

Indicates if muscle is active or not


• With special processing indicates relative strength of contraction
Computer Simulation and Modeling
• Analysis tool more than a measurement tool
• Model equations derived from Newton’s laws of motion
• Inertial properties of body segments
• Initial conditions at start of simulation
• Positions and velocity, from a kinematic data base
• Time histories of the control functions
• Relative position of the limbs
• Muscle forces
• Resultant joint torque
• Allows exploration of “What if . . .” questions

You might also like