Multi-Kinects fusion for full-body tracking in virtual reality-aided assembly simulation

Skeleton tracking based on multiple Kinects data fusion has been proved to have better accuracy and robustness than single Kinect. However, previous works did not consider the inconsistency of tracking accuracy in the tracking field of Kinect and the self-occlusion of human body in assembly operatio...

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Main Authors: Yu Wang, Fuxiang Chang, Yuanjie Wu, Ziran Hu, Lihui Li, Pengyu Li, Pu Lang, Shouwen Yao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2022-05-01
Series:International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/15501329221097591
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author Yu Wang
Fuxiang Chang
Yuanjie Wu
Ziran Hu
Lihui Li
Pengyu Li
Pu Lang
Shouwen Yao
author_facet Yu Wang
Fuxiang Chang
Yuanjie Wu
Ziran Hu
Lihui Li
Pengyu Li
Pu Lang
Shouwen Yao
author_sort Yu Wang
collection DOAJ
description Skeleton tracking based on multiple Kinects data fusion has been proved to have better accuracy and robustness than single Kinect. However, previous works did not consider the inconsistency of tracking accuracy in the tracking field of Kinect and the self-occlusion of human body in assembly operation, which are of vital importance to the fusion performance of the multiple Kinects data in assembly task simulation. In this work, we developed a multi-Kinect fusion algorithm to achieve robust full-body tracking in virtual reality (VR)-aided assembly simulation. Two reliability functions are first applied to evaluate the tracking confidences reflecting the impacts of the position-related error and the self-occlusion error on the tracked skeletons. Then, the tracking skeletons from multiple Kinects are fused based on weighted arithmetic average and generalized covariance intersection. To evaluate the tracking confidence, the ellipsoidal surface fitting was used to model the tracking accuracy distribution of Kinect, and the relations between the user-Kinect crossing angles and the influences of the self-occlusion on the tracking of different parts of body were studied. On the basis, the two reliability functions were developed. We implemented a prototype system leveraging six Kinects and applied the distributed computing in the system to improve the computing efficiency. Experiment results showed that the proposed algorithm has superior fusion performance compared to the peer works.
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issn 1550-1477
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publishDate 2022-05-01
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series International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks
spelling doaj-art-9acf74e96adb4213b1e2a78e396b59442025-02-03T01:29:28ZengWileyInternational Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks1550-14772022-05-011810.1177/15501329221097591Multi-Kinects fusion for full-body tracking in virtual reality-aided assembly simulationYu Wang0Fuxiang Chang1Yuanjie Wu2Ziran Hu3Lihui Li4Pengyu Li5Pu Lang6Shouwen Yao7Scene Simulation Lab, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, ChinaScene Simulation Lab, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, ChinaUniversity of Canterbury, Christchurch, New ZealandScene Simulation Lab, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, ChinaScene Simulation Lab, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, ChinaHarbin First Machinery Group Ltd., Harbin, ChinaInner Mongolia First Machinery Group Ltd., Baotou, ChinaScene Simulation Lab, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, ChinaSkeleton tracking based on multiple Kinects data fusion has been proved to have better accuracy and robustness than single Kinect. However, previous works did not consider the inconsistency of tracking accuracy in the tracking field of Kinect and the self-occlusion of human body in assembly operation, which are of vital importance to the fusion performance of the multiple Kinects data in assembly task simulation. In this work, we developed a multi-Kinect fusion algorithm to achieve robust full-body tracking in virtual reality (VR)-aided assembly simulation. Two reliability functions are first applied to evaluate the tracking confidences reflecting the impacts of the position-related error and the self-occlusion error on the tracked skeletons. Then, the tracking skeletons from multiple Kinects are fused based on weighted arithmetic average and generalized covariance intersection. To evaluate the tracking confidence, the ellipsoidal surface fitting was used to model the tracking accuracy distribution of Kinect, and the relations between the user-Kinect crossing angles and the influences of the self-occlusion on the tracking of different parts of body were studied. On the basis, the two reliability functions were developed. We implemented a prototype system leveraging six Kinects and applied the distributed computing in the system to improve the computing efficiency. Experiment results showed that the proposed algorithm has superior fusion performance compared to the peer works.https://doi.org/10.1177/15501329221097591
spellingShingle Yu Wang
Fuxiang Chang
Yuanjie Wu
Ziran Hu
Lihui Li
Pengyu Li
Pu Lang
Shouwen Yao
Multi-Kinects fusion for full-body tracking in virtual reality-aided assembly simulation
International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks
title Multi-Kinects fusion for full-body tracking in virtual reality-aided assembly simulation
title_full Multi-Kinects fusion for full-body tracking in virtual reality-aided assembly simulation
title_fullStr Multi-Kinects fusion for full-body tracking in virtual reality-aided assembly simulation
title_full_unstemmed Multi-Kinects fusion for full-body tracking in virtual reality-aided assembly simulation
title_short Multi-Kinects fusion for full-body tracking in virtual reality-aided assembly simulation
title_sort multi kinects fusion for full body tracking in virtual reality aided assembly simulation
url https://doi.org/10.1177/15501329221097591
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AT yuanjiewu multikinectsfusionforfullbodytrackinginvirtualrealityaidedassemblysimulation
AT ziranhu multikinectsfusionforfullbodytrackinginvirtualrealityaidedassemblysimulation
AT lihuili multikinectsfusionforfullbodytrackinginvirtualrealityaidedassemblysimulation
AT pengyuli multikinectsfusionforfullbodytrackinginvirtualrealityaidedassemblysimulation
AT pulang multikinectsfusionforfullbodytrackinginvirtualrealityaidedassemblysimulation
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