A method based on the Kalman Filter for deriving whole-body segment accelerations from position tracking data is described. Such a procedure is experimentally calibrated and qualified as a Virtual Accelerometer supplying a resolution of 0.2 m/s2 and a relative accuracy of better than 10 percent rms within 0–8 Hz bandwidth. Results are finally compared to accelerometer performances reported by previous investigators.

1.
Angeloni
C.
,
Riley
P. O.
,
Krebs
D. E.
,
1994
, “
Frequency Content of Whole Body Gait Kinematic Data
,”
IEEE Transaction on Rehabilitation Engineering
, Vol.
2
, no.
1
, pp.
40
46
.
2.
Antonsson
E. K.
,
Mann
R. W.
,
1989
, “
Automatic 6-D.O.F. Kinematic Trajectory Acquisition and Analysis
,”
ASME JOURNAL OF DYNAMIC SYSTEMS, MEASUREMENT, AND CONTROL
, Vol.
III
, pp.
31
39
.
3.
Fioretti
S.
,
Jetto
L.
,
Leo
T.
,
1990
, “
Reliable in Vivo Estimation of tlie Instantaneous Helical Axis in Human Segmental Movements
,”
IEEE Transaction on Biomedical Engineering
, Vol.
37
, NO.
4
, pp.
398
409
.
4.
Fioretti
S.
,
Jetto
L.
,
1989
, “
Accurate derivative estimation from noisy data: a state-space approach
,”
International Journal of Systems Science
, Vol.
20
, NO.
1
, pp.
33
53
.
5.
Fijan, R. S., Mansfield, P. K., Mann, R. W., 1987, “Estimation of Camera Position and Orientation Using a Control Distribution of Unknown Relative Geometry,” 108 Winter Annual Meeting, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, pp. 127–130, Boston.
6.
Frieland, B., 1986, Control System Design, An Introduction to state-space methods, McGraw-Hill.
7.
Hutchingson
E. B.
,
Riley
P. O.
,
Krebs
D. E.
,
1994
, “
A Dynamic Analysis of Joint Forces and Torques During Rising From a Chair
,”
IEEE Transaction in Rehabilitation Engineering
,
2
(
2
), pp.
49
56
.
8.
Ladin
Z.
,
Wu
G.
,
1991
, “
Combining Position and Acceleration Measurements for Joint Force Estimation
,”
Journal of Biomechanics
, Vol.
24
, No.
12
, pp.
1173
1187
.
9.
Ladin
Z.
,
Flowers
W. C.
,
Messner
W.
,
1989
, “
A Quantitative Comparison of a Position Measurement System and Accelerometry
,”
Journal of Biomechanics
, Vol.
22
, No.
4
, pp.
295
308
.
10.
Lewis, F. L., 1986, Optimal Estimation With an Introduction to Stochastic Control Theory, Wiley, New York, London, Sydney, Toronto.
11.
Mansfield, P. K., 1987, “Internal Calibration of Opto-Electronic Cameras,” Proceedings of IEEE Annual Conference of the Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society.
12.
Mital
N. K.
,
King
A. I.
,
1979
, “
Computation of Rigid-Body Rotation in Three-Dimensional Space from Body-Fixed Linear Acceleration Measurements
,”
ASME Journal of Applied Mechanics
, Vol.
46
, pp.
925
930
.
13.
Nigg, B. M., Herzog, W., 1994, Biomechanics of the Musculoskeletal System, Wiley, Chichester, New York, Brisbane, Toronto, Singapore.
14.
Riley
P. O.
,
Hodge
W. A.
, and
Mann
R. W.
,
1990
, “
Modelling the Biomechanics of Posture and Balance
,”
Journal of Biomechanics
, Vol.
23
, pp.
503
505
.
15.
Selcom Inc., SELSPOT-II HARDWARE, 21654, Melrose Ave., Southfled, MI.
16.
Singer
R. A.
,
1970
, “
Estimating Optimal Tracking Filter Performance for Manned Maneuvering Targets
,”
IEEE Transaction on Aerospace and Electronic Systems
, Vol.
AES-6
, NO.
4
, pp.
473
483
.
17.
Woltring, H. J., 1995, “Smoothing and Differentiation Techniques Applied to 3-D Data,” Three-Dimensional Analysis of Human Movement, P. Allard, I. A. F. Stokes, and J. P. Blanchi, eds Human Kinetics, Braun-Brumfleld, pp. 79–99.
This content is only available via PDF.
You do not currently have access to this content.