Development of an anatomical measurement and data analysis tool based on the kinect sensor for physical rehabilitation applications

Abstract

Cyber-physical systems (CPS), integrate computer systems and communication capabilities for the monitoring and control of physical systems through hardware and embedded systems. These consider methods and technologies whose scope have applications in medical and biological areas. A particular case on the application of these systems, relates to the field of physical rehabilitation, where using the detection capabilities on environments and bodies in 3 dimensions by means of specific positioning devices, like the Kinect sensor developed by Microsoft. Many studies have reported efforts developed in this direction. At the Biomedical Engineering Laboratory of the Montemorelos University, we have developed a system called "ETMASD" (Environment Track, Measurement and Analysis of Skeletal Data) which allows appropriate locate joints and measure distances between them, as well as the positioning of a subject in a tridimensional plane, all of this through the skeletal mapping system done with the Kinect on a MATLAB environment. A specific algorithm was developed in order to measure the caput-collum-diaphyseal angle, making this an alternative for the traditional x-rays, given the chance to use this development for both scientific and physical rehabilitation applications. This paper describes the progress made on the development of a computational application focused on the initial diagnostic evaluation of anatomical pathologies.