Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Palestinian Ministry of Health: Two were martyred in Israeli shelling that targeted a besieged house in the town of Qabatiya in Jenin
At least 68 dead in migrant shipwreck off Yemen: IOM
Trump: We want to feed the people in Gaza, we do not want them to starve.
US President Donald Trump: We will impose sanctions on Russia if it does not end the war on Ukraine.
Israeli media: Polls show that 52% oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while only 29% support him.
Israeli media: 32% of Americans still support "Israel's" war on Hamas, while 60% oppose it.
Israeli media: Core US support for "Israel" hits its lowest, while support for Palestine reaches its highest levels.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent reports martyrs, injuries in Israeli bombardment of home in Heker al-Jame area in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza.
Al-Quds Governorate: Today, the spatial division of Al-Aqsa Mosque began in a public and dangerous manner, and we warn of a religious war in the region
The Ministry of Health in Gaza: This brings the total number of victims of famine and malnutrition to 175, including 93 children

Avatar motion-capture technology proven applicable in disease research

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 22 Jan 2023 13:37
3 Min Read

According to experts, the technology might cut in half the time and cost of developing new treatments in clinical trials.

  • x
  • Ronal (L), voiced by Kate Winslet, and Tonowari, voiced by Cliff Curtis, in a scene from
    Ronal, voiced by Kate Winslet, and Tonowari, voiced by Cliff Curtis, in a scene from "Avatar: The Way of Water" (AP)

The motion capture suits used to bring characters to life in films such as Avatar are assisting researchers in tracking the onset of diseases that hamper mobility.

In many circumstances, the sooner such illnesses are diagnosed, the sooner a patient can obtain the necessary care and therapy.

The new device analyzes bodily movements using artificial intelligence.

The UK experts judged the severity of two genetic illnesses twice as fast as the greatest doctors in testing.

According to the experts, it might also cut in half the time and cost of developing new treatments in clinical trials.

The findings were reported in the journal Nature Medicine.

Dr. Valeria Ricotti, of Great Ormond Street Institute for Child Health, told BBC News that she was "completely blown away by the results."

"The impact on diagnosis and developing new drugs for a wide range of diseases could be absolutely massive," she said.

The new technology was tested on patients with Friedreich's Ataxia (FA) and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) in two separate studies.

The researchers revealed that the new technique might also be used to track people recuperating from other disorders that impair movement.

Any ailment involving the brain and neurological system, the heart, lungs, muscles, bone, and a variety of psychiatric disorders are included.

Tracking the severity and anticipated course of such disorders typically entails assessing the speed and precision with which patients perform a set of predefined movements in a clinic. This assessment, which is critical for determining what kind of assistance and therapy a patient requires, might take years.

The two studies published demonstrate that the motion capture system can do this faster and more accurately. It was derived from the technology used by filmmakers in the Avatar films to capture the movement of performers in order to portray convincing aliens on screen.

FA usually manifests itself during adolescence and affects one in every 50,000 people, whereas DMD affects 20,000 children, predominantly boys, worldwide each year. There is currently no cure for either condition.

How does it work?

The motion sensor suits were originally tested on FA patients by a team at Imperial College. They discovered that the AI could predict the progression of the disease over a period of twelve months in half the time that an expert would normally take.

A separate team at Great Ormond Street Hospital tested the technology on 21 boys with DMD aged five to 18. It predicted their movement six months in advance considerably more correctly than a doctor could.

The researchers believe that their technique might be used to accelerate and reduce the cost of clinical trials for novel medications for a variety of illnesses.

It may also reduce the cost of testing novel medications for rare genetic illnesses.

Professor Richard Festenstein from the Medical Research Council's London Institute of Medical Sciences, said, as quoted by BBC News, that "the suit technology, which he helped to develop, had the potential to change the economics of drug discovery."

Read next: Native Americans call to boycott Avatar over cultural appropriation

  • FA
  • Motion-Capture technology
  • DMA
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Avatar
  • Donald Trump

Most Read

A rescued crew member from the ETERNITY C vessel in a video released by the Yemeni Armed Forces on July 28, 2025 (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemen Navy reveals fate of targeted Eternity C ship crew

  • Politics
  • 28 Jul 2025
An Israeli tank explodes following an ambush by al-Qassam Brigades in Gaza, Occupied Palestine, undated (Al-Qassam Military Media)

Al-Qassam strikes Israeli vehicles in Gaza, inflicts casualties

  • Politics
  • 30 Jul 2025
UAE lodges complaint against Israeli ambassador over 'misbehavior'

UAE lodges complaint against Israeli ambassador over 'misbehavior'

  • Politics
  • 1 Aug 2025
Protesters chant anti-Israeli slogans as they carry a banner that reads:" Freedom for Palestine, Alliance stop the war," during a demonstration in support of Palestinians in Gaza, outside the Israeli embassy, in Athens, Monday, June 9, 2025 (AP)

Athens mayor slams Israeli ambassador over Gaza war, graffiti claim

  • Politics
  • 3 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
A member of the al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, takes part in a parade as he celebrates a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and the Israeli regime in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Sunday, January 19, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Al-Qassam: We’ll allow aid to Israeli captives if Gaza siege ends

Freed Lebanese freedom fighter Georges Abdallah during an interview on Al Mayadeen, which aired on Sunday, August 3, 2025 (Al Mayadeen screengrab)
Politics

Exclusive: Resistance key to building state, Georges Abdallah says

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres gives a statement about the situation in Gaza at UN headquarters, Friday, June 27, 2025 (AP)
Politics

UN warns Gaza faces water crisis, looming famine under Israeli siege

Israeli soldiers drive their armored personnel carrier along the Gaza Strip, in southern occupied Palestine, Wednesday, July 30, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Ex-Israeli general says Gaza starvation campaign isolated 'Israel'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS