Evaluation of spinal posture using Microsoft KinectTM: A preliminarycase-study with 98 volunteers

Abstract

tThis work proposes a novel approach to assess spinal curvature, by using Microsoft’s KinectTMto obtain 3Dreconstructed models of subject’s dorsal skin surface in different postures. This method is non-invasive,radiation-free and low-cost.The trial tests here presented intended to evaluate the reliability of this approach, by assessing thetendency of 98 volunteers to present scoliosis. The shoulder height difference was calculated for eachsubject’s scan, by quantifying the angular slope of a line crossing both scapulae.The volunteers’ average age was 24.7 years. Results showed that 68.37% of the volunteers revealeddifferences higher than 1◦between the shoulders, having that their record in what concerns to loads andlesions proved to increase the angular slope. This initial approach shall establish the grounds for assessingspinal posture in pre-clinical or industrial ergonomics scans. Further studies shall include comparisonversus traditional imaging methods and experienced clinical evaluation.