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Michele Xiloyannis

Publications and source records attributed to Michele Xiloyannis.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Physics Informed Human Posture Estimation Based on 3D Landmarks from Monocular RGB-Videos

Applications providing automated coaching for physical training are increasing in popularity, for example physical therapy. These applications rely on accurate and robust pose estimation using monocular video streams. State-of-the-art models like BlazePose excel in real-time pose tracking, but their lack of anatomical constraints indicates improvement potential by including physical knowledge. We present a real-time post-processing algorithm fusing the strengths of BlazePose 3D and 2D estimations using a weighted optimization, penalizing deviations from expected bone length and biomechanical models. Bone length estimations are refined to the individual anatomy using a Kalman filter with adapting measurement trust. Evaluation using the Physio2.2M dataset shows a 10.2 percent reduction in 3D MPJPE and a 16.6 percent decrease in errors of angles between body segments compared to BlazePose 3D estimation. Our method provides a robust, anatomically consistent pose estimation based on a computationally efficient video-to-3D pose estimation, suitable for automated physiotherapy, healthcare, and sports coaching on consumer-level laptops and mobile devices. The refinement runs on the backend with anonymized data only.

cs.CV

Environment-based Assistance Modulation for a Hip Exosuit via Computer Vision

Just like in humans vision plays a fundamental role in guiding adaptive locomotion, when designing the control strategy for a walking assistive technology, Computer Vision may bring substantial improvements when performing an environment-based assistance modulation. In this work, we developed a hip exosuit controller able to distinguish among three different walking terrains through the use of an RGB camera and to adapt the assistance accordingly. The system was tested with seven healthy participants walking throughout an overground path comprising of staircases and level ground. Subjects performed the task with the exosuit disabled (Exo Off), constant assistance profile (Vision Off ), and with assistance modulation (Vision On). Our results showed that the controller was able to promptly classify in real-time the path in front of the user with an overall accuracy per class above the 85%, and to perform assistance modulation accordingly. Evaluation related to the effects on the user showed that Vision On was able to outperform the other two conditions: we obtained significantly higher metabolic savings than Exo Off, with a peak of about -20% when climbing up the staircase and about -16% in the overall path, and than Vision Off when ascending or descending stairs. Such advancements in the field may yield to a step forward for the exploitation of lightweight walking assistive technologies in real-life scenarios.

cs.RO

Soft robotic suits: State of the art, core technologies and open challenges

Wearable robots are undergoing a disruptive transition, from the rigid machines that populated the science-fiction world in the early eighties to lightweight robotic apparel, hardly distinguishable from our daily clothes. In less than a decade of development, soft robotic suits have achieved important results in human motor assistance and augmentation. In this paper, we start by giving a definition of soft robotic suits and proposing a taxonomy to classify existing systems. We then critically review the modes of actuation, the physical human-robot interface and the intention-detection strategies of state of the art soft robotic suits, highlighting the advantages and limitations of different approaches. Finally, we discuss the impact of this new technology on human movements, for both augmenting human function and supporting motor impairments, and identify areas that are in need of further development.

cs.RO