Non-contact platform for the assessment of physical function in older adults: a pilot study

Abstract

In the context of global population aging, identifying reliable, objective tools to assess physical function and postural stability in older adults is increasingly important to mitigate fall risk. This study presents a non-contact platform that uses a Microsoft Azure Kinect depth camera to evaluate functional performance related to lower-limb muscular capacity and static balance through self-selected depth squats and four progressively challenging stances (feet apart, feet together, semitandem, and tandem). By applying markerless motion capture algorithms, the system provides key biomechanical parameters such as center of mass displacement, knee angles, and sway trajectories. A comparison of older and younger individuals showed that the older group tended to perform shallower squats and exhibit greater mediolateral and anteroposterior sway, aligning with age-related declines in strength and postural control. Longitudinal tracking also illustrated how performance varied following a fall, indicating potential for ongoing risk assessment. Notably, in 30 s balance trials, the first 10 s often captured meaningful differences in stability, suggesting that short-duration stance tests can reliably detect early signs of imbalance. These findings highlight the feasibility of low-cost, user-friendly depth-camera technologies to complement traditional clinical measures and guide targeted fall-prevention strategies in older populations.