Streamlining C3D File Processing and Visualization: A User-Friendly Approach Using Google Colab and Open-Source Python Packages

Abstract

This abstract presents a comprehensive approach to leverage Google Colab, a cloud-based Python development environment, for processing and visualizing C3D files. By combining the power of C3DTools, Three.js, and Pygwalker, we provide researchers, practitioners, and enthusiasts with a flexible and efficient platform to gain valuable insights from C3D files across diverse domains. We outline the setup process, including the installation of C3DTools, Three.js, and Pygwalker, within the Google Colab environment. With these tools, users can apply filtering, transformation, and interpolation techniques to manipulate the data. We enhance visualization using Three.js, creating interactive representations to explore and analyze motion capture data. Pygwalker facilitates the visualization of graphs and we export data in different formats such as pandas, trc, mot, or CSV. Comparing our results with the established Python package ezc3d for Center of Pressure (CoP) calculations, we achieve a high correlation (R ⩾ 0.99). The integration of these tools within Google Colab provides a collaborative and accessible platform, eliminating the need for local installations and extensive hardware requirements. Access to the notebook on GitHub allows users to freely explore C3D files at https://github.com/etoshey/colabC3D. By leveraging Google Colab, Python, and open-source libraries, this approach enables efficient processing, visualization, and analysis of C3D files, empowering users to uncover valuable insights in the field of biomechanics and motion capture.