Bozeman, Mont. — Montana State University has added new equipment to their Neuromuscular Biomechanics lab, in the form of motion capture cameras that allow professors and researchers to easily track human movement patterns.
The system – called markerless motion capture – uses motion detector cameras and a force plate in the floor to track movement of participants.
When participants step on the force plate, it measures their force output and movement patterns.
Professors at MSU say these new cameras are a step toward innovation for motion capture technology.
In previous years, motion capture technology worked by attaching many different motion markers on a participants’ clothing or skin. With the new cameras in the Biomechanics lab, they are mounted to the wall, meaning movements are tracked freely.
“And so by using markerless motion capture, we don’t have to spend time placing these markers on participant’s skin. You don’t have to wear restrictive clothing; they can come in wearing comfortable clothing that they might wear, kind of as they do athletic, different activities,” said Dr. Scott Monfort, associate professor of mechanical and industrial engineering at Montana State University.
Another innovative part of the biomechanics lab is the treadmill with markerless motion capture.
Researchers use this particular treadmill with the technology to monitor straight-line movement such as walking or running, and to measure force output tied to injury prevention.
The technology at MSU is not just for students or researchers, however. MSU says the biomechanics lab also works closely with the U.S. Biathlon Association and their professional athletes through a collaboration agreement.
Professors within the lab say this agreement is an important one, as it allows researchers to track the movements of these athletes without having to attach any sensors to the skiers themselves.
“We have a collaboration agreement with the U.S. biathlon association, so we provide all of their sports science services. Part of the benefit here, you don’t have to put any sensors or anything on athletes, right? You can set up and collect data in the natural race environment where you could never do that before,” said Dr. Jim Becker, associate professor of food systems, nutrition and kinesiology at Montana State University.
This new technology comes through a grant worth more than $270,000 to buy the equipment, according to MSU. The grant is part of the M.J. Murdock charitable trust.
“Yeah, markerless motion capture really is the frontier of the field of human movement, biomechanics. The support through that really allows us to transform how we do biomechanics research here at MSU,” said Monfort.
