Validity and Reliability of Upper Limb Functional Assessment Using the Microsoft Kinect V2 Sensor.

Laisi Cai,Ye Ma,Shuping Xiong,Yanxin Zhang

doi:10.1155/2019/7175240

Abstract

Objective To quantify the concurrent accuracy and the test-retest reliability of a Kinect V2-based upper limb functional assessment system. Approach Ten healthy males performed a series of upper limb movements, which were measured concurrently with Kinect V2 and the Vicon motion capture system (gold standard). Each participant attended two testing sessions, seven days apart. Four tasks were performed including hand to contralateral shoulder, hand to mouth, combing hair, and hand to back pocket. Upper limb kinematics were calculated using our developed kinematic model and the UWA model for Kinect V2 and Vicon. The interdevice coefficient of multiple correlation (CMC) and the root mean squared error (RMSE) were used to evaluate the validity of the kinematic waveforms. Mean absolute bias and Pearson's r correlation were used to evaluate the validity of the angles at the points of target achieved (PTA) and the range of motion (ROM). The intersession CMC and RMSE and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were used to assess the test-retest reliability of Kinect V2. Main Results Both validity and reliability are found to be task-dependent and plane-dependent. Kinect V2 had good accuracy in measuring shoulder and elbow flexion/extension angular waveforms (CMC > 0.87), moderate accuracy of measuring shoulder adduction/abduction angular waveforms (CMC = 0.69-0.82), and poor accuracy of measuring shoulder internal/external angles (CMC < 0.6). We also found high test-retest reliability of Kinect V2 in most of the upper limb angular waveforms (CMC = 0.75-0.99), angles at the PTA (ICC = 0.65-0.91), and the ROM (ICC = 0.68-0.96). Significance Kinect V2 has great potential as a low-cost, easy implemented device for assessing upper limb angular waveforms when performing functional tasks. The system is suitable for assessing relative within-person change in upper limb motions over time, such as disease progression or improvement due to intervention.

Highlights

Three-dimensional (3D) upper limb functional movements such as reaching, pushing/pulling, and throwing have been studied in many areas including motor control [1, 2], neurophysiology [3], clinical assessment and rehabilitation [4,5,6], and ergonomics [7, 8]
Some research investigated the use of Kinect in clinics [4] and confirmed that Kinect can accurately measure gross spatial characteristics such as lower limb and trunk kinematics but cannot measure smaller movements such as hand clapping with the same accuracy
The kinematic waveforms of the selected upper limb functional tasks in both sessions from the Kinect V2 system and the Vicon system are presented in Figures 3-6 by means of the average segment rotation angles

Summary

Introduction

Three-dimensional (3D) upper limb functional movements such as reaching, pushing/pulling, and throwing have been studied in many areas including motor control [1, 2], neurophysiology [3], clinical assessment and rehabilitation [4,5,6], and ergonomics [7, 8]. The marker-based systems in assessing upper limb kinematics [3, 5] have been confirmed to be valid and reliable, these systems require relatively large spaces, are expensive, and require experienced technicians, limiting their use in the clinic, at home, in public, and so forth. Microsoft Kinect is a low-cost markerless motion capture system, which estimates the 3D location of body joints based on 2D images with depth information using machine learning algorithms [11]. Some research investigated the use of Kinect in clinics [4] and confirmed that Kinect can accurately measure gross spatial characteristics such as lower limb and trunk kinematics but cannot measure smaller movements such as hand clapping with the same accuracy. Researchers investigate the use of Kinect in the workplace and found that Kinect can determine risks of musculoskeletal injuries in the workplace [16]

Results

Discussion

Conclusion