Unmet Need

Current cervical spine assessment methods suffer from notable limitations in accuracy, reproducibility, and practicality. Universal goniometers (the clinical standard) provide inconsistent measurements of cervical range of motion (CROM) due to operator dependence, trunk stabilization requirements, and restricted testing to mostly upright positions, which prevents reliable assessment during dynamic activities or varied postures. Optical motion capture systems, while precise, are expensive, lab-bound, time-consuming, and susceptible to soft tissue artifacts that can distort results.

Sensor-based approaches to date often lack robust, multi-planar validation data across diverse body positions, undermining confidence in their clinical adoption. Together, these gaps impede objective evaluation of neck mobility, treatment planning, and monitoring in both acute and chronic neck conditions, as well as in athletic, ergonomic, and real-world settings.

The technology describes below enables dynamic assessment across multiple body positions with user-friendly wearable sensors, thus democratizing high-quality cervical motion analysis for clinical practice, rehabilitation settings, and real-world monitoring applications.

Technology

• Utilizes two wireless Delsys Trigno Avanti inertial measurement units (IMU) with integrated accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetometers to track head and neck movements
• Implements quaternion-based orientation analysis with Kalman filtering to calculate precise cervical angles across three anatomical planes (sagittal, frontal, horizontal)
• Provides validated methodology for testing in both vertical (upright) and horizontal (leaning forward) positions, enabling assessment during diverse activities
• Demonstrates strong validity in sagittal plane (R = 0.828 ± 0.051), moderate in frontal plane (R = 0.573 ± 0.138), and excellent reliability across all planes (ICC = 0.855-0.945)

​Potential Applications:

• Diagnosis and treatment planning: Objective assessment of cervical spine conditions for pre-operative evaluation and monitoring treatment progression
• Rehabilitation protocols: Establishing normative data ranges and identifying movement deviations in patients with neck injuries or movement disorders
• Athletic performance: Evaluating neck mobility and movement patterns in sports contexts
• Ergonomic research and assessment: Monitoring neck posture and movement during activities and dynamic tasks
• Pain management: Tracking cervical mobility changes and treatment response in chronic neck pain patients

​This technology addresses a critical gap in cervical spine biomechanics by providing an accessible, portable, and validated alternative to expensive laboratory equipment for measuring neck range of motion. The system delivers clinically meaningful accuracy (particularly in sagittal and frontal planes) with excellent test-retest reliability, while eliminating the position and environmental constraints of traditional goniometry and optical motion capture.

Articles:

Keidan, L., Ibrahim, R., Ohayon, E., Pick, C. G., & Been, E. (2025)