Validity of the Microsoft Kinect for assessment of postural control.

Gait Posture. 2012 Jul;36(3):372-7.

Clark RA, Pua YH, Fortin K, Ritchie C, Webster KE, Denehy L, Bryant AL.

Source: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

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Abstract
Clinically feasible methods of assessing postural control such as timed standing balance and functional reach tests provide important information, however, they cannot accurately quantify specific postural control mechanisms. The Microsoft Kinect™ system provides real-time anatomical landmark position data in three dimensions (3D), and given that it is inexpensive, portable and simple to setup it may bridge this gap. This study assessed the concurrent validity of the Microsoft Kinect™ against a benchmark reference, a multiple-camera 3D motion analysis system, in 20 healthy subjects during three postural control tests: (i) forward reach, (ii) lateral reach, and (iii) single-leg eyes-closed standing balance. For the reach tests, the outcome measures consisted of distance reached and trunk flexion angle in the sagittal (forward reach) and coronal (lateral reach) planes. For the standing balance test the range and deviation of movement in the anatomical landmark positions for the sternum, pelvis, knee and ankle and the lateral and anterior trunk flexion angle were assessed. The Microsoft Kinect™ and 3D motion analysis systems had comparable inter-trial reliability (ICC difference=0.06±0.05; range, 0.00-0.16) and excellent concurrent validity, with Pearson's r-values >0.90 for the majority of measurements (r=0.96±0.04; range, 0.84-0.99). However, ordinary least products analyses demonstrated proportional biases for some outcome measures associated with the pelvis and sternum. These findings suggest that the Microsoft Kinect™ can validly assess kinematic strategies of postural control. Given the potential benefits it could therefore become a useful tool for assessing postural control in the clinical setting.

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Kinect cameras watch for autism - New Scientist

Diagnosing an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in young children is tricky, but the earlier a child can begin speech therapy and get help learning social and communication skills, the better. Many different symptoms may suggest a child has an ASD, but they are subtle. It usually takes an experienced doctor to spot the signs by analysing video footage of the child playing - a costly and time-consuming process.

To find out if a computer can automate all or part of this process, Guillermo Sapiro, Nikolaos Papanikolopoulos and colleagues have fitted the nursery with five Kinect depth-sensing camera rigs to monitor groups of around 10 children aged between 3 and 5 years old as they play.

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Kinect Range of Motion Testing

This video demonstrates the potential of the Kinect camera to map and report range of movement. Initial thoughts are obviously that it is impressive, but I would be interested to see how well it picks up the main skeletal points of a patient with known movement limitations, contractures and/or physical deformities. Current experience would suggest to me that it would get confused and not be able to accurately identify all the necessary points to provide the range of movements that the video shows. The conclusion at this time would have to be that this has huge potential within musculoskeletal rehabilitation but has yet to prove itself or be demonstrated within areas such as neuro rehab. Time will tell but this video demonstrates impressive abilities and measurements of normal human movement.