{"id":26307,"date":"2026-09-11T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-11T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oewf.org\/?p=26307"},"modified":"2026-09-08T20:14:33","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T18:14:33","slug":"measuring-movement-in-simulated-hypogravity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oewf.org\/en\/2026\/09\/measuring-movement-in-simulated-hypogravity\/","title":{"rendered":"Measuring Movement in Simulated Hypogravity: A Markerless Pipeline for VTF"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

From synchronized videos captured with smartphones to the three-dimensional kinematics of the lower limbs at ESA\u2019s Vertical Treadmill Facility<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

written by Gioele Giuseppe Liotta\u00a0 |\u00a0 Master’s Thesis in Biomedical Engineering\u00a0 |\u00a0 September 2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Walking seems automatic only because we are familiar with gravity. When the load changes, the gait cycle can also reorganize itself. The challenge is not only to simulate different levels of gravity, but also to reliably and noninvasively measure the resulting changes. Understanding these adaptations can contribute to the development of countermeasures for space missions and rehabilitation programs for return to Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the central focus of my master\u2019s thesis in Biomedical Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Turin, which I am conducting at the Austrian Space Forum (\u00d6WF) in Innsbruck. I am developing and validating a markerless pipeline for 3D motion capture using synchronized videos captured with smartphones. The system will enable a quantitative comparison of walking in simulated hypogravity and on Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image<\/a>
Preliminary reconstruction from two synchronized views in the VTF.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

An Unusual Room for Motion Capture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

ESA\u2019s Vertical Treadmill Facility (VTF), operated by the \u00d6WF, is a ground-based facility in which the subject is suspended horizontally in front of a vertical treadmill. The suspension system compensates for the component of gravity parallel to the treadmill belt, while the Subject Loading System applies a controlled force perpendicular to the walking surface. By varying the load, different levels of effective gravity can be simulated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harnesses, back supports, cables, confined spaces, and vibrations can cause obstructions and instability in the detection of anatomical landmarks. The cameras must therefore provide complementary angles, keeping each point of interest visible in at least two synchronized views, and remain outside the structure on a stable reference point such as the ceiling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, I modified and 3D-printed a smartphone mount with two axes of rotation. The mount allows you to precisely position smartphones, repeat the positioning, and keep them away from the suspension system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo<\/a>
The 3D-printed mount, attached to the ceiling grid. The two axes orient the smartphones toward the subject while keeping the camera position stable.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

From Video to Biomechanical Model<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

OpenCap identifies two-dimensional anatomical landmarks in each synchronized view and reconstructs their 3D positions using Direct Linear Transformation (DLT). The coordinates are then mapped to a musculoskeletal model adapted to the subject\u2019s proportions. This introduces a consistent anatomical structure\u2014segments, joints, and constraints\u2014and allows inverse kinematics to transform the trajectories into interpretable joint angles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am also developing a local interface to reprocess sessions, select the model, archive each run, check quality, and analyze kinematics and gait events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Screenshot<\/a>
The OpenCap-VTF interface, currently under development, combines model selection, kinematic analysis, step events, and result archiving.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Finding the Way Through the Data<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A VTF recording may include preparation, pauses, and transitions. Directly comparing the raw signals would therefore be misleading. The analysis must isolate the usable portion of the gait, detect heel strike and toe-off, and then segment and normalize the cycles before comparing conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Charts<\/a>
Angular trajectories of the right lower limb from a preliminary technical test.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

An initial automatic detector uses the movement of the heels and forefoot relative to the pelvis. The diagnostic graphs show the selected interval and the detected events, allowing the researcher to assess their plausibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Preliminary<\/a>
Preliminary diagnostic chart. The highlighted area indicates the selected range<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

From a functioning pipeline to a reliable measurement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The next step is validation. The smartphone-based reconstruction must be compared with an independent system and tested after repositioning the cameras, harness, and subject. Calibration, visibility, synchronization, and processing must meet predefined acceptance criteria before interpreting differences in severity levels. The goal is to demonstrate that the system is sensitive and reliable enough to detect real variations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What This Project Taught Me<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This project has shown me that motion capture is much more than just an algorithm: the measurement chain extends from the camera mount to the final graph. A sophisticated model cannot recover a joint hidden by the harness, and a clean graph does not automatically mean a valid result. Hardware, software, biomechanical modeling, and the experimental protocol must all support one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s what makes the project so exciting: a 3D-printed support, two smartphone videos, and an open-source biomechanical model can become a research tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From synchronized videos captured with smartphones to the three-dimensional kinematics of the lower limbs at ESA\u2019s Vertical Treadmill Facility written by Gioele Giuseppe Liotta\u00a0 |\u00a0 Master’s Thesis in Biomedical Engineering\u00a0 |\u00a0 September 2026 Walking seems automatic only because we are […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":26313,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[1879,262,1616,50,1829],"class_list":["post-26307","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-oewf-news","tag-biomedical-engineer","tag-innsbruck-en","tag-master-thesis","tag-research","tag-vtf-2"],"yoast_head":"\nMeasuring Movement in Simulated Hypogravity: A Markerless Pipeline for VTF - Austrian Space Forum (OeWF)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Measuring Movement in Simulated Hypogravity: A Markerless Pipeline for VTF. 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