Markerless Motion Capture of Upper Limb Movements During Activities of Daily Living

This dataset was used to aid with understanding how the human brain controls hand and arm movements is crucial for restoring that function in individuals who have lost it. One prominent theory is that upper limb movements are controlled through synergies, which are coordinated patterns of joint movements. Synergies have been identified within the joint angles, contact forces, and angular velocities of movements, but studies often focus on a limited range of movements, hindering generalization. Additionally, many studies rely on data collection methods that may impede natural movement. This study aims to address these gaps by collecting markerless motion tracking data of the entire upper limb during 80 activities of daily living, providing a more comprehensive understanding of upper limb synergies. We identify which synergies are most critical for completing activities of daily living, with implications for improving assistive technologies, such as brain-machine interfaces for individuals with tetraplegia.