Method for Using IMU-Based Experimental Motion Data in BVH Format for Musculoskeletal Simulations via OpenSim

Wechsler I, Wolf A, Fleischmann S, Waibel J, Molz C, Scherb D, Shanbhag J, Franz M, Wartzack S, Miehling J (2023)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2023

Journal

Sensors MDPI

Book Volume: 23

Pages Range: 5423

Issue: 12

DOI: 10.3390/s23125423

Abstract

Biomechanical simulation allows for in silico estimations of biomechanical parameters such as muscle, joint and ligament forces. Experimental kinematic measurements are a prerequisite for musculoskeletal simulations using the inverse kinematics approach. Marker-based optical motion capture systems are frequently used to collect this motion data. As an alternative, IMU-based motion capture systems can be used. These systems allow flexible motion collection without nearly any restriction regarding the environment. However, one limitation with these systems is that there is no universal way to transfer IMU data from arbitrary full-body IMU measurement systems into musculoskeletal simulation software such as OpenSim. Thus, the objective of this study was to enable the transfer of collected motion data, stored as a BVH file, to OpenSim 4.4 to visualize and analyse the motion using musculoskeletal models. By using the concept of virtual markers, the motion saved in the BVH file is transferred to a musculoskeletal model. An experimental study with three participants was conducted to verify our method’s performance. Results show that the present method is capable of (1) transferring body dimensions saved in the BVH file to a generic musculoskeletal model and (2) correctly transferring the motion data saved in the BVH file to a musculoskeletal model in OpenSim 4.4.

Authors with CRIS profile

Iris Wechsler Chair of Engineering Design (KTmfk) Alexander Wolf Chair of Engineering Design (KTmfk) Sophie Fleischmann Machine Learning and Data Analytics Lab Carla Hartmann Chair of Engineering Design (KTmfk) David Scherb Chair of Engineering Design (KTmfk) Julian Shanbhag Chair of Engineering Design (KTmfk) Michael Franz Chair of Engineering Design (KTmfk) Sandro Wartzack Chair of Engineering Design (KTmfk) Jörg Miehling Chair of Engineering Design (KTmfk)

Additional Organisation(s)

Sonderforschungsbereich 1483/1 Empathokinästhetische Sensorik – Sensortechniken und Datenanalyseverfahren zur empathokinästhetischen Modellbildung und Zustandsbestimmung (EmpkinS)

How to cite

APA:

Wechsler, I., Wolf, A., Fleischmann, S., Waibel, J., Molz, C., Scherb, D.,... Miehling, J. (2023). Method for Using IMU-Based Experimental Motion Data in BVH Format for Musculoskeletal Simulations via OpenSim. Sensors, 23, 5423. https://doi.org/10.3390/s23125423

MLA:

Wechsler, Iris, et al. "Method for Using IMU-Based Experimental Motion Data in BVH Format for Musculoskeletal Simulations via OpenSim." Sensors 23 (2023): 5423.

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