New App Tracks and Analyzes Locomotion with Smartphones
A groundbreaking smartphone app has been developed by a team of US researchers that can accurately track and analyze a person’s ability to move from one place to another, known as locomotion. In addition to monitoring locomotion, the app, called OpenCap, is also capable of analyzing other types of movements. This innovative technology has the potential to revolutionize the field of human motion analysis.
Traditional locomotion analysis requires expensive equipment and specialized lab space, which makes it inaccessible for routine clinical use. Typically, it involves the use of eight or more specialized cameras to capture three-dimensional images, and the data collected takes several days to be analyzed by a trained expert. However, OpenCap eliminates these barriers by utilizing smartphones and artificial intelligence.
The researchers tested the OpenCap app with 100 participants, using two or more smartphones to capture videos of the participants’ movements. The recorded videos were of sufficient quality to allow for web-based analysis of muscle activations, joint loads, and joint movements using artificial intelligence. Surprisingly, the data collection process took less than 10 hours for all 100 participants, and the computation of results only took 31 hours.
This groundbreaking technology not only significantly reduces the cost of motion analysis but also improves its efficiency. According to the research team, the app costs approximately one percent of the conventional motion analysis techniques and works 25 times faster. This makes it a viable option for routine clinical use and opens up new possibilities for various applications.
Human motion analysis plays a crucial role in evaluating patients with movement difficulties, assisting clinicians in surgical planning, and assessing the outcomes of treatment procedures. With the OpenCap app, healthcare professionals can now easily track a patient’s progress in terms of motion following treatment and make informed decisions regarding rehabilitation.
Moreover, this innovative app has the potential to screen for disease risk. By analyzing an individual’s locomotion and other movements, the OpenCap app can provide valuable insights that may aid in the early detection of certain conditions. Early intervention is key in managing and treating many diseases, and OpenCap could potentially play a significant role in this aspect.
The research team behind OpenCap was funded by the National Institutes of Health. Their groundbreaking work has paved the way for a more accessible and efficient approach to human motion analysis. By harnessing the power of smartphones and artificial intelligence, they have made significant strides in revolutionizing this field.
In conclusion, the development of the OpenCap app marks a major breakthrough in the world of human motion analysis. Its ability to track and analyze locomotion using smartphones opens up new possibilities for routine clinical use, disease screening, rehabilitation decisions, and treatment evaluation. The cost-effectiveness and efficiency of this app make it an invaluable tool that has the potential to greatly benefit both patients and healthcare professionals alike.
