A Synchronised Azure Kinect-based tracking system

Overview

Childbirth is a multifactorial, complex procedure that involves a dynamic dyadic interaction between the mother and the baby. Complications of labour and delivery can pose life-threatening situations to both mother and child. Each year, complications from pregnancy and childbirth result in about 295,000 maternal deaths, while 1.2 million babies die during labour. In addition, it is reported that following delivery, 7 million women have serious long-term problems and 50 million have negative health outcomes. Thus, it is more than vital to gain a deeper understanding of childbirth and promote maternal and neonatal health and wellbeing.

Childbirth is a natural process which depends on biomechanical changes and procedures, such as maternal and/or baby’s movements and positions. However, little is known about the mechanics of labour. Existing body tracking, and movement analysis techniques are either invasive or cannot be used during labour due to several limitations. Therefore, a method that can record maternal movements, the effect of the adjusted anatomical structures of a parturient woman, as well as provide some initial insights on how specific birth positions may contribute to certain physiological outcomes, is needed.

SKEL is a highly innovative and transdisciplinary project, that uses gaming-based technologies and techniques, to track, record and analyse human body movements during labour and produce biomechanical data (linear and angular quantities) from up to 32 key joints. SKEL can track and record more multiple users simultaneously in a 3D environment in a completely non-invasive, non-contact, and non-intrusive way, while producing non-identifiable outputs ensuring participants privacy.

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Project team

SKEL Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) Group

SKEL is operated “with” and “by” members of the public and not just “to”, “about” or “for” them, as per INVOLVE NIHR guidance on co-production of a research project.

SKEL’s well established PPIE group is comprised of mothers or expectant mothers, healthcare professionals, midwifery educators, students, and experts in emerging technologies from four countries (UK, Spain, France, Greece).

SKEP PPIE group contribution includes:

Involvement in the actual research project and methodological design. The group participated in the design of the research proposal and grant application, while the role-play scenarios were designed exclusively by the members of the PPIE group. The group continues to participate actively in every consequent stage of the project.

Participation as study participants. Some members of the PPIE group took actively part in the study as participants. Following the recordings, the members of the group provided their critical feedback and insights on how techniques and procedures can be further developed and improved.

Engagement to ensure that the project is socially acceptable, and that the results are shared effectively with the wider public.

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A Synchronised Azure Kinect-based tracking system for the biomechanical Evaluation of Labour (SKEL)

Overview

Biomechanical data

Woman in a labouring position

Project team

SKEL Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) Group

SKEP PPIE group contribution includes:

Further information