3D Muscle Simulator ARMO ~Innovative visual motion analysis software~

Innovative visual motion analysis software for the human motion recognition in muscle activity level

ARMO is an innovative software to analyze human motion in the "muscle activity level"; the muscle strength and calorie consumption is calculated using a musculoskeletal model and motion data, and then visualize the 3d body motion in a high quality image.

Muscle activity visualization

The system supports DIFF format advocated by the Clinical Gait Analysis Forum of Japan. The data generated by a motion capture system not supportive of DIFF may be saved in ASII format, converted to DIFF and then read into the system.
Musculoskeletal model (upper left) and interface (lower left) reflecting the individual differences

The muscle strength and calorie consumption is simulated; The body's motion is visualized in a high quality image

With the help of lower prices, the propagation of motion capturing systems has been remarkable; however, its operation is not easy and has been limited to use by specialists only. There is a variety of software available to display the movement translated from the motion data. But then, even if the joint moment is calculated, the knowledge on of dynamics is essential to its understanding. It is, for example, rather difficult for a student to dynamically understand the movement from a graph using a motion capturing system. With ARMO, the motion is understood in muscle activity level using a musculoskeletal modeling technology that can reflect the individual differences, muscle strength and calorie consumption calculation and its visualization technique.

UX for both research and education of human motion analysis

The display composition of ARMO is extremely easy to understand and requires no special computer knowledge.. The muscle activity in body movement is displayed, the movement is animated in 3D, and the calorie consumption in the muscle from the computed muscle strength is calculated. Therefore, making it ideal for use as a supplementary material in training, in report production and presentation material.
Interface (left)

Joint moment graph and visualization

The muscle strength is estimated by optimal calculation using each joint's torque and Hill's muscle model calculated with inverse dynamics on musculoskeletal model. The calculated strength exerted from each muscle is displayed using the musculoskeletal model for ease of understanding.
Display of calorie consumption of muscle

Integrated visual interface for the human motion analysis

The movement of the test subject (rehab patient etc) is displayed in 3D animation using a musculoskeletal model. Simultaneously calculated muscle moment, estimated muscle strength and calorie consumption are visualized using color changes in the muscle, directly displaying how much strength of the muscle is exerted and in what point of the time of the movement.
Musculoskeletal model animation (upper left), Synchronization of the 3D animation and image (lower left)

Detailed information of ARMO

[Note] This software was developed as an IT development support project of FY2001 and IT development continued project of FY2002 of the independent governmental entity, IPA - Information Technology Promotion Agency of Japan.

Use of ARMO with low-cost motion capturing system

ARMO Real time skeleton set: Analysis of movement / skeletal motion in real time
ARMO skeleton analysis set: offline analysis of movement/skeletal motion