Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Functional calibration does not improve the concurrent validity of magneto-inertial wearable sensor-based thorax and lumbar angle measurements when compared with retro-reflective motion capture

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

 Magneto-inertial measurement unit (MIMU) systems allow calculation of simple sensor-to-sensor Euler angles, though this process does not address sensor-to-segment alignment, which is important for deriving meaningful MIMU-based kinematics. Functional sensor-to-segment calibrations have improved concurrent validity for elbow and knee angle measurements but have not yet been comprehensively investigated for trunk or sport-specific movements. This study aimed to determine the influence of MIMU functional calibration on thorax and lumbar joint angles during uni-planar and multi-planar, sport-specific tasks. It was hypothesised that functionally calibrating segment axes prior to angle decomposition would produce smaller differences than a non-functional method when both approaches were compared with concurrently collected 3D retro-reflective derived angles. Movements of 10 fast-medium cricket bowlers were simultaneously recorded by MIMUs and retro-reflective motion capture. Joint angles derived from four different segment definitions were compared, with three incorporating functionally defined axes. Statistical parametric mapping and root mean squared differences (RMSD) quantified measurement differences one-dimensionally and zero-dimensionally, respectively. Statistical parametric mapping found no significant differences between MIMU and retro-reflective data for any method across bowling and uni-planar trunk movements. The RMSDs for the functionally calibrated methods and non-functional method were not significantly different. Functional segment calibration may be unnecessary for MIMU-based measurement of thorax and lumbar joint angles.

Graphical abstract

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bayne H, Elliott B, Campbell A, Alderson J (2016) Lumbar load in adolescent fast bowlers: a prospective injury study. J Sci Med Sport 19:117–122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2015.02.011

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Bergamini E, Guillon P, Camomilla V, Pillet H, Skalli W, Cappozzo A (2013) Trunk inclination estimate during the sprint start using an inertial measurement unit: a validation study. J Appl Biomech 29:622–627. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2013.07.073

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Brice SM, Hurley M, Phillips EJ (2018) Use of inertial measurement units for measuring torso and pelvis orientation, and shoulder–pelvis separation angle in the discus throw. Int J Sports Sci Coach. https://doi.org/10.1177/1747954118778664

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Broyden CG (1967) Quasi-Newton methods and their application to function minimisation. Math Comput 21:368–381. https://doi.org/10.2307/2003239

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Burnett AF, Barrett CJ, Marshall RN, Elliott BC, Day RE (1998) Three-dimensional measurement of lumbar spine kinematics for fast bowlers in cricket. Clin Biomech 13:574–583. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0268-0033(98)00026-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Camomilla V, Bergamini E, Fantozzi S, Vannozzi G (2018) Trends supporting the in-field use of wearable inertial sensors for sport performance evaluation: a systematic review. Sensors 18:1–50. https://doi.org/10.3390/s18030873

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Chardonnens J, Favre J, Aminian K (2012) An effortless procedure to align the local frame of an inertial measurement unit to the local frame of another motion capture system. J Biomech 45:2297–2300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2012.06.009

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Cole GK, Nigg BM, Ronsky JL, Yeadon MR (1993) Application of the joint coordinate system to three-dimensional joint attitude and movement representation: a standardization proposal. J Biomech Eng 115:344–349. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2895496

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Cutti AG, Ferrari A, Garofalo P, Raggi M, Cappello A, Ferrari A (2010) “Outwalk”: a protocol for clinical gait analysis based on inertial and magnetic sensors. Med Biol Eng Compu 48:17–25. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11517-009-0545-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Dabirrahmani D, Hogg M (2017) Modification of the Grood and Suntay Joint Coordinate System equations for knee joint flexion. Med Eng Phys 39:113–116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.medengphy.2016.10.006

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. de Vries WHK, Veeger HEJ, Cutti AG, Baten C, van der Helm FCT (2010) Functionally interpretable local coordinate systems for the upper extremity using inertial & magnetic measurement systems. J Biomech 43:1983–1988. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2010.03.007

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Favre J, Aissaoui R, Jolles BM, de Guise JA, Aminian K (2009) Functional calibration procedure for 3D knee joint angle description using inertial sensors. J Biomech 42:2330–2335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2009.06.025

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Ferdinands RED, Kersting U, Marshall RN (2009) Three-dimensional lumbar segment kinetics of fast bowling in cricket. J Biomech 42:1616–1621. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2009.04.035

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Godwin A, Agnew M, Stevenson J (2009) Accuracy of inertial motion sensors in static, quasistatic, and complex dynamic motion. J Biomech Eng. https://doi.org/10.1115/14000109

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Grood ES, Suntay WJ (1983) A joint coordinate system for the clinical description of three-dimensional motions: application to the knee. J Biomech Eng 105:136–144. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3138397

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Kalman RE (1960) A new approach to linear filtering and prediction problems. J Basic Eng 82:35–45. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3662552

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Ligorio G, Zanotto D, Sabatini AM, Agrawal SK (2017) A novel functional calibration method for real-time elbow joint angles estimation with magnetic-inertial sensors. J Biomech 54:106–110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2017.01.024

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Mjøsund HL, Boyle E, Kjaer P, Mieritz RM, Skallgård T, Kent P (2017) Clinically acceptable agreement between the ViMove wireless motion sensor system and the Vicon motion capture system when measuring lumbar region inclination motion in the sagittal and coronal planes. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-017-1489-1

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  19. Najafi B, Lee-Eng J, Wrobel JS, Goebel R (2015) Estimation of Center of Mass Trajectory using Wearable Sensors during Golf Swing. J Sports Sci Med 14:354–363

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. O’Donovan KJ, Kamnik R, O’Keeffe DT, Lyons GM (2007) An inertial and magnetic sensor based technique for joint angle measurement. J Biomech 40:2604–2611. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2006.12.010

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Park FC, Martin BJ (1994) Robot sensor calibration: solving AX = AB on the Euclidean Group. IEEE Trans Robot Autom 10:717–721

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Pataky TC (2018) spm1d [Website]. URL http://www.spm1d.org/ (accessed 8.1.19).

  23. Pataky TC, Robinson MA, Vanrenterghem J (2013) Vector field statistical analysis of kinematic and force trajectories. J Biomech 46:2394–2401. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2013.07.031

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Picerno P (2017) 25 years of lower limb joint kinematics by using inertial and magnetic sensors: a review of methodological approaches. Gait Posture 51:239–246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2016.11.008

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Picerno P, Cereatti A, Cappozzo A (2008) Joint kinematics estimate using wearable inertial and magnetic sensing modules. Gait Posture 28:588–595. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2008.04.003

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Theobald PS, Jones MD, Williams JM (2012) Do inertial sensors represent a viable method to reliably measure cervical spine range of motion? Man Ther 17:92–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.math.2011.06.007

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Wells D, Alderson J, Camomilla V, Donnelly C, Elliott B, Cereatti A (2018) Elbow joint kinematics during cricket bowling using magneto-inertial sensors: A feasibility study. J Sports Sci. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2018.1512845

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Winter D (1990) Biomechanics and motor control of human movement, 4th edn. John Wiley & Sons, New York

    Google Scholar 

  29. Wong WY, Wong MS (2008) Trunk posture monitoring with inertial sensors. Eur Spine J 17:743–753. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-008-0586-0

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  30. Wu G, Siegler S, Allard P, Kirtley C, Leardini A, Rosenbaum D, Whittle M, D’Lima DD, Cristofolini L, Witte H, Schmid O, Stokes I (2002) ISB recommendation on definitions of joint coordinate system of various joints for the reporting of human joint motion—part I: ankle, hip, and spine. J Biomech 35:543–548. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9290(01)00222-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Wu G, van der Helm FCT, Veeger HEJ, Makhsous M, Van Roy P, Anglin C, Nagels J, Karduna AR, McQuade K, Wang X, Werner FW, Buchholz B (2005) ISB recommendation on definitions of joint coordinate systems of various joints for the reporting of human joint motion - Part II: Shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand. J Biomech 38:981–992. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2004.05.042

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Zhang Y, Chen K, Yi J (2013) Rider trunk and bicycle pose estimation with fusion of force/inertial sensors. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 60:2541–2551. https://doi.org/10.1109/TBME.2013.2260339

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Zhang Y, Chen K, Yi J, Liu T, Pan Q (2015) Whole-Body Pose Estimation in human bicycle riding using a small set of wearable sensors. IEEE/ASME Trans Mechatron 21:163–174. https://doi.org/10.1109/TMECH.2015.2490118

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Steven Kosovich and Jay-Shian Tan for their assistance with data collection.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Australian Institute of Sport, Leverrier St, Bruce, 2602, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

    Daniel S. Cottam

  2. School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Curtin University, Kent St, Bentley, Western Australia, 6102, Australia

    Amity C. Campbell, Paul C. Davey & Peter Kent

  3. Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark

    Peter Kent

  4. School of Human Sciences (Exercise and Sport Science), University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, Western Australia, 6009, Australia

    Bruce C. Elliott & Jacqueline A. Alderson

  5. Minderoo Tech & Policy Lab (UWA Law School), University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia

    Jacqueline A. Alderson

  6. Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand (SPRINZ), Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand

    Jacqueline A. Alderson

Authors
  1. Daniel S. Cottam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Amity C. Campbell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Paul C. Davey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Peter Kent
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Bruce C. Elliott
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Jacqueline A. Alderson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniel S. Cottam.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (PDF 62 KB)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Cottam, D.S., Campbell, A.C., Davey, P.C. et al. Functional calibration does not improve the concurrent validity of magneto-inertial wearable sensor-based thorax and lumbar angle measurements when compared with retro-reflective motion capture. Med Biol Eng Comput 59, 2253–2262 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11517-021-02440-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11517-021-02440-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation