Simultaneous Floating-Base Estimation of Human Kinematics and Joint Torques

• Main Authors: Claudia Latella, Silvio Traversaro, Diego Ferigo, Yeshasvi Tirupachuri, Lorenzo Rapetti, Francisco Javier Andrade Chavez, Francesco Nori, Daniele Pucci
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-06-01
• Series: Sensors
• Subjects: floating-base dynamics estimation; human joint torque analysis; human wearable dynamics
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/19/12/2794

The paper presents a stochastic methodology for the simultaneous floating-base estimation of the human whole-body kinematics and dynamics (i.e., joint torques, internal and external forces). The paper builds upon our former work where a fixed-base formulation had been developed for the human estimation problem. The presented approach is validated by presenting experimental results of a health subject equipped with a wearable motion tracking system and a pair of shoes sensorized with force/torque sensors while performing different motion tasks, e.g., walking on a treadmill. The results show that joint torque estimates obtained by using floating-base and fixed-base approaches match satisfactorily, thus validating the present approach.