Vision-Based Tracking of Human Body Motion

There is a lack of reliable models of dynamic loading of civil engineering structures, such as footbridges, floors and grandstands, due to active groups and crowds of people. The key reason for this is the lack of knowledge on coordination of body motion between multiple individuals walking, running, jumping and bouncing in groups of various sizes. This paper presents a potential of the previously published video-based motion tracking method to measure kinematics of multiple individuals in groups. Unlike traditional motion tracking methods, such as maker-based optical systems, this new method is inexpensive, does not require any preparation of test subjects (e.g. attaching tracking markers) and is not constrained to artificial laboratory environment. Moreover, it provides motion data of the similar high quality.