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Image processing in hospitals
High-speed cameras revolutionize gait analysis
Industry: Life Science | Customer: Simi Reality Motion Systems GmbH
Simi Reality Motion Systems GmbH develops, produces and distributes products for motion and behavior analysis. The company was founded in 1992 and since then has focused on data acquisition and analysis of movements in medicine, sport, industry and entertainment.
Situation
Precise planning of operations, provision of aids and physiotherapy measures for complex gait disorders or load-dependent pain is possible by using gait analysis. Gait, infrared-based 3D measurements take up to 120 minutes and are very time-consuming due to the many markers that need to be applied - especially for children or patients with Parkinson's disease.
Challenge
An image-based system should reduce the process and the number of markers. The cameras should be both robust and easy to handle and have a resolution of at least 1920 x 1080 pixels. As the planned length of the track should be at least 15 m, the distance between the evaluation PC and cameras should be at least 7.5 meters if the evaluation PC is placed in the middle.
Solution
In addition to the artificial 3D reconstruction, the image-based method uses eight high-speed cameras to show the patient's gait pattern in real time. In addition to the use of individual markers, which are far fewer than in infrared-based systems, the image-based method also makes it possible to carry out a markerless gait analysis using silhouette tracking. This eliminates the need to attach markers and makes the gait analysis procedure faster and less complicated overall. While the human eye is limited to around 20 images per second, the high-speed cameras capture many times more. Experienced orthopaedic surgeons can therefore identify the causes and effects of a gait disorder even if the clinical examination does not provide sufficient information. Although the amount of data collected by the HD cameras is enormous, the now cheaper and faster storage options make it possible to save this data and use it in everyday clinical practice.
How does it work?
Although there is sufficient buffer for the cable length in a network-based solution, the available net bandwidth of around 120 MB/s is quickly exceeded with eight Gigabit Ethernet HD cameras: 8 x 1920 x 1080 x 30 (images per second) x 8 (bit image data) = approx. 500 MB/s.
The BVS CA-GX2 Dual GigE cameras, which bundle two Gigabit Ethernet lines using link aggregation and can therefore provide approx. 340 MB/s as net bandwidth, offer a solution. In addition, the cameras offer an image memory of 256 MB, which compensates for the lack of bandwidth with the right settings.
Benefits
What are the most important features of your application?
- FGPA (Field Programmable Gate Array)
- 256 MB image memory
- Link Aggregation
- Smart Feature: Bandwidth control
Products
A look at the Balluff portfolio revealed the BVS CA-GX2-0024ZC as a solution. The BVS CA-GX2-0024ZC uses the IMX174 Pregius sensor from Sony. With a resolution of 1936 x 1216 pixels, it supports Full HD, has a maximum refresh rate of 105 Hz and is a global shutter sensor.