A person wearing a motion capture suit surrounded by data visualizations.

Motion Capture Revolution: How Wearable Tech is Changing Healthcare

Q: What is the Sharif-Human Movement Instrumentation System (SHARIF-HMIS), and why is it considered a significant advancement?

The Sharif-Human Movement Instrumentation System (SHARIF-HMIS) is a wearable technology designed to capture and analyze human movement. It consists of inertial measurement units (IMUs), specialized clothing, and a data logger. This system is intended to be lightweight, portable, and capable of collecting data for extended periods, making it suitable for use outside of traditional laboratory settings. Its significance lies in its potential to provide accurate and comprehensive movement data in real-world environments, which is crucial for applications in sports, rehabilitation, and ergonomics.

Q: What role do Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) play in the SHARIF-HMIS, and why are they important?

Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) are crucial components of the SHARIF-HMIS. They are sensors strategically placed on the body to capture detailed kinematic data associated with human motion. IMUs typically include accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetometers, which measure acceleration, angular velocity, and magnetic field, respectively. These measurements are combined to estimate the orientation and movement of the body. The use of multiple IMUs (18 in this system) allows for a more comprehensive and accurate representation of overall body movement. Their accurate capture is vital for the data-fusion algorithm to work effectively.

Q: What is the adaptive Kalman filter in the SHARIF-HMIS, and how does it enhance accuracy?

The adaptive Kalman filter is a core innovation within the SHARIF-HMIS. It's a data-fusion algorithm designed to combine data from gyroscopes, accelerometers, and magnetometers to estimate total-body orientation. Its adaptability to varying motion speeds and magnetic disturbances is key by adjusting sensor noise levels. This ensures reliable data capture in dynamic environments, making the system more robust and accurate than traditional methods. The Kalman filter enhances the reliability of the SHARIF-HMIS by dynamically adjusting to changing conditions, which is essential for accurate human movement analysis.

Q: What is the VICON motion-capture system, and why was it used in the evaluation of the SHARIF-HMIS?

The VICON motion-capture system is a high-precision, non-wearable system often used as a gold standard for motion analysis. It's typically confined to laboratory settings. Researchers used VICON data to validate the accuracy of the SHARIF-HMIS. The high correlation between the data captured by SHARIF-HMIS and the VICON system confirmed the reliability of the new wearable technology. This validation is important because it provides confidence in the data collected by SHARIF-HMIS, especially when used in environments where traditional lab-based systems are not practical.

Q: What are the key advantages and significance of using the SHARIF-HMIS for movement analysis?

The SHARIF-HMIS offers several advantages including its lightweight and portable design, extended battery life (nearly 10 hours), adaptive Kalman filter for enhanced accuracy, incorporation of multiple IMUs for comprehensive kinematic data capture, and validated accuracy through comparison with the VICON motion-capture system. The system is significant because it allows for human movement analysis outside of controlled lab environments. It is beneficial for various applications, from sports training to medical rehabilitation. As wearable technology evolves, systems like SHARIF-HMIS will play a crucial role in advancing our understanding of human movement and improving patient outcomes.

Elliot Brynn in Tech & Innovation September 2025 • 4 min read.

"Discover the Sharif-HMIS system and its potential to transform human movement analysis in sports, rehabilitation, and beyond."

Measuring how we move has become increasingly important. From designing rehabilitation programs to enhancing athletic performance, understanding human movement is key. Traditionally, systems for capturing this data fell into two categories: non-wearable and wearable. Non-wearable systems, while precise, are largely confined to laboratory settings due to their wired connections and need for constant adjustments.

Wearable systems offer a solution, providing portability and remote data capture crucial for applications in military, biomedical, and rehabilitation fields. These systems are now being used in ergonomics and task design, evaluating the impact of assistive devices, and even preventing falls. A wide array of sensors, from accelerometers to electromagnetic tracking systems, are integrated into these devices to capture movement data.

Now, a new innovation is emerging, the Sharif-Human Movement Instrumentation System (SHARIF-HMIS), which could be lightweight, portable and able to collect data for almost 10 hours. Equipped with inertial measurement units (IMUs), specialized clothing, and a data logger, this system promises to enhance the accuracy and utility of human movement analysis outside controlled lab environments. Let’s explore how SHARIF-HMIS is poised to change how we understand human movement.

SHARIF-HMIS: A Leap in Wearable Motion Tracking

A person wearing a motion capture suit surrounded by data visualizations.

The SHARIF-HMIS represents a significant advancement in wearable technology, primarily due to its design and data processing capabilities. It utilizes microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), known for their potential in biomedical engineering, to capture precise movement data. The system comprises three key elements: inertial measurement units (IMUs), stretchable clothing, and a data logger, integrated to function seamlessly outside a lab.

A core innovation within SHARIF-HMIS is its new data-fusion algorithm, which uses a Kalman filter with an adaptive approach. This algorithm combines data from gyroscopes, accelerometers, and magnetometers to estimate total-body orientation. One key feature is its adaptability to varying motion speeds and magnetic disturbances by adjusting sensor noise levels. This adaptability ensures reliable data capture in dynamic environments.

The key features of the SHARIF-HMIS system include:

Lightweight and Portable Design: Allows for use in diverse, real-world settings.
Extended Battery Life: Provides nearly 10 hours of continuous data collection.
Adaptive Kalman Filter: Enhances accuracy by adjusting to motion dynamics and magnetic interference.
Multiple IMUs: Incorporates 18 IMUs for comprehensive kinematic data capture.
Validated Accuracy: Demonstrated high correlation with VICON motion-capture system.

The system's interface is designed to acquire data from eighteen IMUs strategically placed on the body. This extensive sensor network captures detailed kinematic data associated with human motion. To validate the system, researchers compared SHARIF-HMIS data with data from a VICON motion-capture system during shoulder movements. The validation test demonstrated high correlation values (>0.9), confirming the system’s accuracy. Results also confirmed that the output accuracy of the new system’s sensor was <0.55, 1.5 and 3.5° for roll, pitch, and yaw directions, respectively.

The Future of Movement Analysis

The SHARIF-HMIS system represents a significant step forward in wearable motion-capture technology. Its demonstrated accuracy and adaptability make it a promising tool for various applications, from sports training to medical rehabilitation. As wearable technology continues to evolve, systems like SHARIF-HMIS will play a crucial role in advancing our understanding of human movement and improving patient outcomes.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1016/j.medengphy.2018.07.008, Alternate LINK

Title: Sharif-Human Movement Instrumentation System (Sharif-Hmis): Development And Validation

Subject: Biomedical Engineering

Journal: Medical Engineering & Physics

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Authors: Mohammad Iman Mokhlespour Esfahani, Ali Akbari, Omid Zobeiri, Ehsan Rashedi, Mohamad Parnianpour

Published: 2018-11-01

Everything You Need To Know

What is the Sharif-Human Movement Instrumentation System (SHARIF-HMIS), and why is it considered a significant advancement?

The Sharif-Human Movement Instrumentation System (SHARIF-HMIS) is a wearable technology designed to capture and analyze human movement. It consists of inertial measurement units (IMUs), specialized clothing, and a data logger. This system is intended to be lightweight, portable, and capable of collecting data for extended periods, making it suitable for use outside of traditional laboratory settings. Its significance lies in its potential to provide accurate and comprehensive movement data in real-world environments, which is crucial for applications in sports, rehabilitation, and ergonomics.

What role do Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) play in the SHARIF-HMIS, and why are they important?

Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) are crucial components of the SHARIF-HMIS. They are sensors strategically placed on the body to capture detailed kinematic data associated with human motion. IMUs typically include accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetometers, which measure acceleration, angular velocity, and magnetic field, respectively. These measurements are combined to estimate the orientation and movement of the body. The use of multiple IMUs (18 in this system) allows for a more comprehensive and accurate representation of overall body movement. Their accurate capture is vital for the data-fusion algorithm to work effectively.

What is the adaptive Kalman filter in the SHARIF-HMIS, and how does it enhance accuracy?

The adaptive Kalman filter is a core innovation within the SHARIF-HMIS. It's a data-fusion algorithm designed to combine data from gyroscopes, accelerometers, and magnetometers to estimate total-body orientation. Its adaptability to varying motion speeds and magnetic disturbances is key by adjusting sensor noise levels. This ensures reliable data capture in dynamic environments, making the system more robust and accurate than traditional methods. The Kalman filter enhances the reliability of the SHARIF-HMIS by dynamically adjusting to changing conditions, which is essential for accurate human movement analysis.

What is the VICON motion-capture system, and why was it used in the evaluation of the SHARIF-HMIS?

The VICON motion-capture system is a high-precision, non-wearable system often used as a gold standard for motion analysis. It's typically confined to laboratory settings. Researchers used VICON data to validate the accuracy of the SHARIF-HMIS. The high correlation between the data captured by SHARIF-HMIS and the VICON system confirmed the reliability of the new wearable technology. This validation is important because it provides confidence in the data collected by SHARIF-HMIS, especially when used in environments where traditional lab-based systems are not practical.

What are the key advantages and significance of using the SHARIF-HMIS for movement analysis?

The SHARIF-HMIS offers several advantages including its lightweight and portable design, extended battery life (nearly 10 hours), adaptive Kalman filter for enhanced accuracy, incorporation of multiple IMUs for comprehensive kinematic data capture, and validated accuracy through comparison with the VICON motion-capture system. The system is significant because it allows for human movement analysis outside of controlled lab environments. It is beneficial for various applications, from sports training to medical rehabilitation. As wearable technology evolves, systems like SHARIF-HMIS will play a crucial role in advancing our understanding of human movement and improving patient outcomes.