Augmented Tai-Chi Chuan Practice Tool with Pose Evaluation

Abstract

Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) is a well-known Chinese martial art that promotes health. In addition to learning TCC from a coach in a classroom setting, learners usually use books or videos to practice on their own. However, since turning is a frequent movement in TCC, learners cannot watch a tutorial and practice TCC at the same time. Furthermore, it is difficult for users to determine whether their postures are correct. We propose an augmented reality TCC practice tool with pose evaluation to help people practice TCC on their own. The tool consists of an optical see-through head-mounted display, external cameras, digital compasses, and a server. Users learn TCC movements from surrounding virtual coaches in augmented reality and determine whether their postures are correct via an evaluation module. Study results show that the proposed tool provides a helpful learning environment for TCC and that the pose estimation and evaluation are robust and reliable.