Performance of Microsoft Azure Kinect DK as a tool for estimating human body segment lengths

The Microsoft Kinect depth sensor, with its built-in software that automatically captures joint coordinates without markers, could be a potential tool for ergonomic studies. This study investigates the performance of Kinect in limb segment lengths using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) as a reference. Healthy children and adults (n = 76) were recruited for limb length measurements by Kinect and DXA. The results showed consistent ratios of arm, forearm, thigh, and leg lengths to height, which were 0.16, 0.14, 0.23, and 0.22 respectively, for both age groups and methods. Kinect exhibited perfect correlation among all limb lengths, indicating fixed proportions assumed by its algorithm. Comparing the two methods, there was a strong correlation (R = 0.850–0.985) and good to excellent agreement (ICC = 0.829–0.977), except for the right leg in adults, where agreement was slightly lower but still moderate (ICC = 0.712). The measurement bias between the methods ranged from − 1.455 to 0.536 cm. In conclusion, Kinect yields outcomes similar to DXA, indicating its potential utility as a tool for ergonomic studies. However, the built-in algorithm of Kinect assumes fixed limb proportions for individuals, which may not be ideal for studies focusing on investigating limb discrepancies or anatomical differences.