Kinotherapy-Health Assistance at Your Doorstep!

Abstract

Microsoft Kinect is an input device proficient in motion sensing. It was traditionally used for gaming purposes in which users could interact with the console without physical touch. With the evolution of technology, Kinect has changed the input world with its built-in audio, 3D visualization techniques and real-time 3D depth measurement in addition to highly responsive capabilities towards capturing gestures and sensing motion. Skeletal tracking – a very worked-on Kinect technique can be used to recognize people. It basically projects infrared light which is used to calculate the depth of user in the field of view through which it recognizes people and different body parts. Due to excellent and inexpensive solution towards sensing techniques the scope of this input device has broadened. Regular exercise and physical activities provide the best health benefits but at the same time it is imperative that the right kind of exercise is performed which can otherwise result in worsening the condition or doing the opposite of what is intended. For example undergoing rehabilitation through physiotherapy exercises plays an integral role in sustaining and regaining the physical strength of patients who suffer from physical impairments due to accidents or ageing. However, monitoring these regular and repetitive exercises can be cumbersome and can often also cause the subject itself to lose interest in performing the required exercises correctly. Such a therapy can be a long process without noticeable improvements. Our aim is to build an intelligent home-based physical therapy system that helps physiotherapy patients, track and improve their movement in real-time through a feedback guidance system and physiotherapists, the ease of monitoring and analyzing the performed exercises, establishing a remote connection between both the end users. The features of this system meet the growing needs of home-based rehabilitation by enabling an interactive experience for patients and at the same time, fulfilling clinical requirements of therapists. Technically, the aims of this project will be achieved by using Natural User Interface (NUI) devices such as the Microsoft Kinect and providing the overlay of actual movement on optimal bio-mechanical movement. The skeleton tracking provided by Kinect, as mentioned earlier, can detect people and can be used to identify and recognize both static and dynamic movements according to the exercises performed. By using our solution; therapists, gym instructors and other people with similar interests will be able to perform the exercise and share it with anyone across the internet. On the other side, the subjects will be able to see and perform the exact same exercise by doing it right without any aberration. Moreover, our system will allow the subject and therapist to interact and will enable physiotherapists to remotely monitor the progress or improvements made by subjects.