Video Analysis of Human Gait and Posture to Determine Neurological Disorders

Howard Lee,1 Ling Guan,2 and Ivan Lee3

1C Management Services Pty Ltd, CQU Melbourne International Campus, Melbourne, Australia
2Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario, M5B 2K3, Canada
3Department of Computer and Information Science, University of South Australia, South Australia, Australia

Received 15 January 2007; Accepted 7 March 2008
Academic Editor: Alice Caplier
Copyright © 2008 Howard Lee et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

This paper investigates the application of digital image processing techniques to the detection of neurological disorder. Visual information extracted from the postures and movements of a human gait cycle can be used by an experienced neurologist to determine the mental health of the person. However, the current visual assessment of diagnosing neurological disorder is based very much on subjective observation, and hence the accuracy of diagnosis heavily relies on experience. Other diagnostic techniques employed involve the use of imaging systems which can only be operated under highly constructed environment. A prototype has been developed in this work that is able to capture the subject's gait on video in a relatively simple setup, and from which to process the selected frames of the gait in a computer. Based on the static visual features such as swing distances and joint angles of human limbs, the system identifies patients with Parkinsonism from the test subjects. To our knowledge, it is the first time swing distances are utilized and identified as an effective means for characterizing human gait. The experimental results have shown a promising potential in medical application to assist the clinicians in diagnosing Parkinsonism.
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ivp/...80867.abs.html

http://www.springerlink.com/content/r42j70qj94833357/

While digital imaging of all kinds is developing fast, I would hesitate to trust a diagnosis of PD made by a machine! Neuros are only human, and may not get things accurately all the time, but the human eye is infinitely more sensitive to nuance than a computer, and this imaging technology is only as good as the amount of parameters that it measures. Perhaps in several more years, and a lot more research........ the report on MRI, once regarded as practically infallible, recently posted, tells about the true state of technology and medical imaging........ for instance there is no mention of measuring differentials for comparison with other conditions that give gait cues to diagnosis....

Actually the second link is more telling, scroll to abstract and Zoom.

http://www.springerlink.com/content/r42j70qj94833357/
paula

an emerging new field.


http://www.pdonlineresearch.org/even...ental-function

Couldn't agree more that the two are related, but am always wary of the diagnostic means, especially the relatively untested.

lindy,
i agree and can't quite figure out how it would be true for pwp.

paula