Estimation of the CoM and CoP using a 3D body scanning systems: Validation with force plate: A case study

Human body Center of Mass (CoM) and Center of Pressure (CoP) kinematics are related to stability and balance control. However their evaluation can only be performed in motion analysis lab using different techniques. One of the more accurate is based on the segmental method, in which the body is modelled as a set of rigid bodies, each of which has different mass properties. In this study, we proposed an alternative estimation of the CoM and CoP, based on the segmental method and the 3D scanning of the human body. Knowing the CoM of each segment, the position of the overall CoM and CoP for poses different from the one used during the body acquisition could be predicted. The proposed method was validated by asking to a subject to assume different postures while standing on a force platform by comparing the resulting CoP with the one estimated with the segmental model. Although the approximations introduced in the model results were comparable.