Easy, open motion-tracking for people with movement problems
Official title: Dissemination of a Scalable and FAIR Open-Source Motion Analysis Framework
Funded at Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago D/b/a Shirley Ryan Abilitylab · NIH-11240923 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This effort will make markerless, open-source motion-tracking tools easier for people with movement problems and their care teams to use so movement can be measured without attaching markers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago D/b/a Shirley Ryan Abilitylab NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $161,754 |
| NIH project number | 1R50HD119899-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11240923 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with mobility, balance, stroke, neurological, or musculoskeletal movement problems who need objective movement measurement as part of care or rehab.
✕Less likely to help
People without movement concerns or those who require highly specialized marker-based lab measurements for research may not see direct benefit.
What this research studies
You would use camera-based motion-tracking that does not require sticky markers on your body, so visits are faster and less awkward. The team will improve the open-source software and algorithms so it runs in clinics, captures whole-body movements including arms and hands, and protects personal data so results can be shared safely. They will also create clear data formats and tools so other clinics and researchers can use the same methods. Training materials and easier setup are planned so hospitals without on-site engineers can adopt the system.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could get faster, more comfortable, and more widely available movement measurements to guide diagnosis and rehabilitation plans.
How similar studies have gone: Markerless motion capture methods have shown promise in prior studies, but a widely available, open-source, scalable, and privacy-ready system like this is still relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago D/b/a Shirley Ryan Abilitylab
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shah, Kunal — Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago D/b/a Shirley Ryan Abilitylab
- Study coordinator: Shah, Kunal
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.