Three-dimensional Digital Image Correlation (3D-DIC) is a non-contact optical-numerical technique for evaluating the dynamic mechanical behavior at the surface of structures and materials, including biological tissues. 3D-DIC can be used to extract shape and full-?eld displacements and strains with high resolution, at various length scales. While various commercial and academic 3D-DIC software exist, the field lacks 3D-DIC packages which offer straightforward calibration and data-merging solutions for multi-view analysis, which is particularly desirable in biomedical applications. To address these limitations, we present MultiDIC, an open-source MATLAB toolbox, featuring the first 3D-DIC software specifically dedicated to multi-view setups. MultiDIC integrates robust two-dimensional subset-based DIC software with specially tailored calibration procedures, to reconstruct the dynamic behavior of surfaces from multiple stereo-pairs. MultiDIC contains novel algorithms to automatically merge meshes from multiple stereopairs, and to compute and visualize 3D shape and full-?eld motion, deformation, and strain. User interfaces provide capabilities to perform 3D-DIC analyses without interacting with MATLAB syntax, while standalone functions also allow proficient MATLAB users to write custom scripts for specific experimental requirements. This paper discusses the challenges underlying multi-view 3D-DIC, details the proposed solutions, and describes the algorithms implemented in MultiDIC. The performance of MultiDIC is tested using a low-cost experimental system featuring a 360-deg 12-camera setup. The software and system are evaluated using measurement of a cylindrical object with known geometry subjected to rigid body motion and measurement of the lower limb of a human subject. The findings confirm that shape, motion, and full-field deformations and strains can be accurately measured, and demonstrate the feasibility of MultiDIC in multi-view in-vivo biomedical applications.
Effective prosthetic socket design following lowerlimb amputation depends upon the accurate characterization of the shape of the residual limb as well as its volume and shape fluctuations. Objective: This study proposes a novel framework for the measurement and analysis of residual limb shape and deformation, using a high-resolution and low-cost system. Methods: A multi-camera system was designed to capture sets of simultaneous images of the entire residuum surface. The images were analyzed using a specially developed open-source threedimensional digital image correlation (3D-DIC) toolbox, to obtain the accurate time-varying shapes as well as the full-field deformation and strain maps on the residuum skin surface. Measurements on a transtibial amputee residuum were obtained during knee flexions, muscle contractions, and swelling upon socket removal. Results: It was demonstrated that 3D-DIC can be employed to quantify with high resolution the time-varying residuum shapes, deformations, and strains. Additionally, the enclosed volumes and cross-sectional areas were computed and analyzed. Conclusion: This novel low-cost framework provides a promising solution for the in-vivo evaluation of residuum shapes and strains, as well as the potential for characterizing the mechanical properties of the underlying soft tissues. Significance: These data may be used to inform data-driven computational algorithms for the design of prosthetic sockets, as well as of other wearable technologies mechanically interfacing with the skin.
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