X-Box and Kinect in Physiotherapy

Original Editor - Your name will be added here if you created the original content for this page.

Lead Editors - Your name will be added here if you are a lead editor on this page. Read more.

Description[edit | edit source]

Features of the motion sensing input device that may provide benefit to physical therapy practice:

Contains an RGB video camera and a camera that senses sense depth. The depth camera has two components, an infrared laser that projects a cloud of dots that is then picked up by an infrared camera.
Interprets 3D scene information from continuous data collection. This requires accurate positing and motion for the subject to achieve the proper task.
Provides an accurate measurement of joint positioning including range of motion, torsion, and angular velocity.
Hands free gaming allows for task specific functional training with increasing levels of difficulty which allows for a variety of custom exercise programs.
Provides immediate feedback to both the physical therapist and the patient which may develop correct movement patterns.

Accuracy in Clinical Practice[edit | edit source]

From the following blog article:
http://engineeringsport.co.uk/2011/05/09/kinect-biomechanics-part-1/

Real-Time Human Pose Recognition in Parts from Single Depth Images, Shotton et al, 2011

Shotton et al proposed and tested a new method to quickly and accurately predict 3D positions of body joints from a single depth image, using a per-pixel classification system. The system runs at 200 frames per second, which allows for real-time interaction. The kinect was able to identify joints reguardless of body posistion with 98.4% accuracy with over 1,000,000 real images. The kinect can detect depth within 1cm and length and width within 3 mm.

Since June 2010, the kinect has been available commercially as a plug-in tool toll for the X-Box system. There are many fitness, sports, and other games that can assist physiotherapy clients in performing functional movement, cardiovascular exercise, and therapeutic exercise. Also, because these games are engaging and entertaining, clients will likely have greater motivation to complete their therapeutic exercises daily. Patients could receive a download token for their Xbox and the custom therapy game would help patients do exercises on the days between actual physical therapy visits.

In July of 2011, Microsoft Research released Kinect Beta SDK for windows. This noncomercial software development tool with allow software engineers to use develop programs that service as an interface between windows and the Kinect. The possibility to use windows would permit greater connectivity with internet.