Hybrid System Mixed Reality and Marker-Less Motion Tracking for Sports Rehabilitation of Martial Arts Athletes

Abstract

Rehabilitation is a vast field of research. Virtual and Augmented Reality represent rapidly emerging technologies that have the potential to support physicians in several medical activities, e.g., diagnosis, surgical training, and rehabilitation, and can also help sports experts analyze athlete movements and performance. In this study, we present the implementation of a hybrid system for the real-time visualization of 3D virtual models of bone segments and other anatomical components on a subject performing critical karate shots and stances. The project is composed of an economic markerless motion tracking device, Microsoft Kinect Azure, that recognizes the subject movements and the position of anatomical joints; an augmented reality headset, Microsoft HoloLens 2, on which the user can visualize the 3D reconstruction of bones and anatomical information; and a terminal computer with a code implemented in Unity Platform. The 3D reconstructed bones are overlapped with the athlete, tracked by the Kinect in real-time, and correctly displayed on the headset. The findings suggest that this system could be a promising technology to monitor martial arts athletes after injuries to support the restoration of their movements and position to rejoin official competitions.

The Role of Emergent Technologies in the Dynamic and Kinematic Assessment of Human Movement in Sport and Clinical Applications

“…A further significant part is that Kinect v2 has better skeletal joint tracking and can capture twenty-six joints, while Kinect v1 can capture twenty joints [245]. This system was initially developed within the scope of the gaming and entertainment fields, but it later proved highly interesting in sports, clinical, and rehabilitation applications [246][247][248]. Kinect sensors also introduce many features that allow for more accurate research on the movement of the human body and its gestures.…”

A Review on the Usability, Flexibility, Affinity, and Affordability of Virtual Technology for Rehabilitation Training of Upper Limb Amputees

“…Free software: Virtual technology with open-source software can be leveraged to offer a free solution for crafting virtual environments. Prominent examples of such software are Blender and Unity [13,71], which have gained widespread usage in the customization of virtual environments. A notable attribute of these environments is their focus on catering to the needs of amputees.…”

The Use of Immersive Technologies in Karate Training: A Scoping Review

“…Potential applications are used in various fields such as in the field of sports [10]. These applications can be used to watch games, thus enhancing the fans' experience [11], to offer training in situations where conventional methods are impractical, such as sce-narios involving danger or high costs that would otherwise hinder traditional training approaches [12], and to aid in the rehabilitation of athletes, specifically in the context of martial arts [13]. Martial arts include historical combat techniques adapted to modern sporting and fitness contexts.…”