Why BoB?
Why use BoB?
Short learning curve
Low price
Easy data importing
Complete data exchange with MATLAB
User editable skeleton and muscle models
Default muscle model contains over 600 locomotor muscle units
Displays synchronised videos
Extensive graphics features
User defined MATLAB graphics
Large library of instructional videos
Output of tabulated data, graphs, images and videos
Batch processing for large data sets
Display of joint ranges of motion
Display of anatomical trajectories
User defined functions
Calculation of joint torques
Calculation of ground reaction forces
Location of centre of mass
Calculation of muscle forces
Analyse and display multiple subjects
Variant specifically for teaching
[BoB/Teaching]
Variant specifically for ergonomics
[BoB/Ergo]
Variant specifically for EMG
[BoB/EMG]
User editing:
BoB users can edit the subject’s skeletal and muscle models. This includes overall height / mass or individual segment dimensions and inertial properties. The user can also add, modify and delete any muscle in the body’s musculature.
Optical motion capture:
BoB acquires movement from optical motion tracking equipment (eg Vicon, Qualisys, BTS) via the C3D file format using Plug-In-Gait marker set.
IMU motion capture:
BoB contains interfaces to read motion from IMU based motion capture systems (eg Xsens, Perceptron Neuron, Rokoko) and any source that generates BVH files with appropriate co-ordinate system.
Muscle labelling:
BoB can label all of the 600 muscles in the muscle model for easy identification. BoB can plot muscle related data including length, contraction velocity, energy dissipation, power consumption and force.
First person viewpoint:
BoB can display the first persion point of view.
Part-body analysis and display:
BoB can analyse and display any subset of the whole body so full body motion capture is not required.
Multiple subjects:
BoB can analyse and display an unlimited number of subjects.
Trajectories:
The 3-dimensional trajectories of any point on the body can be displayed. The colour change along the trajectory indicates the speed at that position.
Angular velocity / acceleration / momentum:
BoB can calculate and display angular velocities, accelerations and momenta across the body.
Plots of relative locations:
The distance between any two locations and the angle between any three locations on the body can be plotted.
Ranges of motion:
BoB can display the ranges of motion through which the joint move during a trial or a subset of the trial. The joint angles are reported in a form with physical significance, eg adduction/abduction, extension/flexion. BoB also indicates the proportion of the time a joint spends at a particular angle; the joint spends most of the time in the sections coloured in red and the least in the green sections.
Virtual camera:
A virtual camera can be attached to any body segment to observe motions relative to that segment. In the video to the right a virtual camera is attached to the skull which therefore appears stationary.
User graphics and functions:
MATLAB users can incorporate Handle Graphics and bespoke M-code functions into BoB.
Instances:
Movement can be studied by creating instances at discrete times or at regular spacings.
Velocity vectors:
The velocity vector of any point on the body can be displayed. The velocity vector indicates the speed and direction of motion of the point.
Joint torques:
BoB uses inverse dynamics to calculate the torques at all of the joints in the body.
Ground reaction forces:
BoB can calculate the ground reaction forces between the feet and the ground in the absence of forceplates which means the whole of the capture area can behave as a very large forceplate. In the video, the calculated ground reaction forces are shown as yellow arrows.
External forces:
BoB can apply external forces to any body segment in terms of location, magnitude and direction. In the video to the right, external forces are applied to the hands and shown as yellow arrows.
Muscle forces:
BoB can calculate the muscle force distribution within the body. In the video, the more red the muscle, the harder it is working.
Joint contact forces:
BoB can calculate force acting at a joint, including the force in the muscles which cross the joint. In the video, the joint contact force at the elbow is indicated by the double arrow indicating the force’s magnitude and direction.
Calculate a range of ergonomic performance metrics (with BoB/Ergo):
BoB/Ergo calculates REBA/RULA, NIOSH, ISO and other ergonomic standards together with biomechanical factors relevant to ergonomic assessments including cumulative loading and torques.
Integrate motion and EMG signals (with BoB/EMG):
BoB/EMG provides an environment which can integrate biomechanical analysis and EMG measurement. In the video to the right, the muscles are colour coded based on the rectified EMG signal.
Synchronised videos:
BoB can display video synchronized to biomechanical analysis.
Bi-variant plots:
BoB can plot any variable against any other variable on a bi-variant plot. In the plot, the right shoulder and elbow angles are being plotted against the racket speed.
Output forms:
BoB can output all of its results as 3-dimensional graphics, numeric results as graphs (including bi-variant graphs of variable versus variable), tabulated data in a file suitable for additional processing (.csv), images (.jpg, .bmp, .tiff) and videos (.avi, .mp4).