Motion Analysis

Motion Analysis is typically viewed as the examination of objects and/or incidents to determine a range of facts about how they are changing, moving, and/or altering across time and space. The purpose behind motion analysis includes, but is not limited to, developing improved efficiency and better understanding of what is actually taking place.

Today, high performance video imaging systems are being used by scientists and engineers as a non-invasive testing technique.  In industrial, scientific, clinical, and academic environments, video imaging provides a highly accurate method of evaluating and measuring motion and performance from a distance, without interference from sensors in direct contact with the subject.

Through motion analysis of real world objects under real world conditions we can observe and measure:

• range of motion;
• performance changes under various environmental conditions;
• variation of performance over time;
• material defects;
• minute changes that may require further examination;
• performance degradation;
• external effects upon performance;
• the previously unnoticeable;
• and much more

Military test ranges use motion analysis to observe and study the movement characteristics of objects such as angle of fragmentation or the behavior and trajectory of unmanned systems or ordinance. The data obtained with this kind of analysis is critical to systems design improvement as well as determining product capability under various conditions (weather, environmental, situational, etc).

In surveillance, recognizing human activity and analyzing it compared with other activity or some model of activity provides real insight into suspicious activity in an area of interest.

In sports and medicine, motion analysis is used for studying characteristics such as gait, posture, for signs of injury or strain.

One recent application that Boulder Imaging implemented for a Fortune 10 company was the analysis of massive wind turbine blades.   Specifically, the company wanted precise data on the movement of a 55 meter blade in terms of flex (down to less than a millimeter) and twist (down to less than a tenth of a degree) in real world conditions using high resolution video.  The challenge was formidable.  There were a number of challenges including:

1. Determining the appropriate high resolution camera and optics
2. Developing a camera housing that can protect the camera under various weather conditions without interfering with data capture
3. Controlling camera aperture in real time to compensate for extreme lighting conditions (for example, a bright sky when the blade was pointed upward towards the sky)
4. Developing a measurement system of markers on the blade and calibrating their coordinates in 3D space.
5. Developing the analysis software to make measurements from the video data in real time based on the location of the blade at any given time in the rotation cycle.
6. Analyzing the data sets from a number of tests under various wind speed conditions.

The result of our work was that the company completely redesigned the blades based on the accurate measurements and analysis from our system.

Boulder Imaging Meets Your Motion Analysis Needs

Motion analysis begins with accepting that we may be missing something which typically morphs into the big 'ah hah' moments of discovery. BI has assisted many customers in various market sectors (military, government, industry, manufacturing, research, etc) in applying motion analysis systems to capture and reveal previously unknown information. Even in situations where there have been theories or models of what may be reality, our systems have confirmed, denied, and in many cases refocused efforts.

We are the partner of choice for your motion analysis systems needs.   Please contact us by clicking here.