3-D IMAGING AND ANIMATION APPLIED TO FOOT STRUCTURES IN WALKING AND RUNNING : PHASE TWO : SOFT TISSUES AND USER INTERFACE*

Abstract

In order to counteract learning and training difficulties encountered by physical education students, coaches and athletes, due to poor or inadequate 3-D visual representation of human body structures and movements, a low cost computer platform capable of 3-D objects generation and animation has been developed. The first phase of the project (presented at ISBS '93) was dealing with 3-D imaging and animation of bone structures of the foot in walking. The second phase of the study was pursuing three main objectives : 1) generation of 3-D representations of the soft tissues of the foot, 2) 3-D animation of the bone structures of the foot in running, and 3) development of a user interface easily accessible with the mouse or the keyboard. The final product enables the user to have access to the following 3-D illustrations : 1) multiple views of the bony structures of the lower leg and foot, 2) multiple views of the ankle and foot ligaments and fascia, 3) multiple views of the muscles and tendons involved in ankle and foot movements, 4) multiple views of lower leg and foot articular surfaces, 5) identification of individual foot structures. The user can also select to view any of the following movement sequences : 1) talus-calcaneum joint movement animation, 2) animation of lower leg and foot structures in walking (side view or rear view) together with a reference manikin and a time code, 3) animation of lower leg and foot structures in running (side view or rear view) together with a reference manikin and a time code. Comparative evaluation of teaching structural kinesiology, biomechanics and sport traumatology courses with and without the use of this tool has demonstrated that retention can be increased with this computer-assisted technique. *Research supported with funds from the Pedagogic Innovation Program of the University of Sherbrooke.