A python software for synchronized data management of specific force platforms sensors compatible with Phidget API and other sensor types such as IMUs.
This project is part of the author's master's thesis in industrial engineering at the University of Almería. force_platform is licensed under de GNU General Public License v3.0.
It supports currently the following sensor types:
- Phidget-Bridge compatible load sensors. (Requires Phidget dependency).
- Phidget encoders. (Requires Phidget dependency).
- Taobotics IMU sensors. (Requires MRPT dependency).
- USB webcams for video recording with opencv.
Program documentation is available to learn how the program works and its usage.
Check it out here.
Install the dependencies and clone the project into your workspace.
Warning
The project has been developed and tested in Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. Phidget does support Windows and MacOS, but Taobotics IMUs do not.
curl -fsSL https://www.phidgets.com/downloads/setup_linux | sudo -E bash - &&\
sudo apt-get install -y libphidget22Phidget documentation of the Linux Installer.
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:joseluisblancoc/mrpt &&\
sudo apt install libmrpt-dev mrpt-apps &&\
sudo apt install python3-pymrptFor more information, refer to the MRPT Documentation.
This project uses UV, a very powerfull tool to setup and manage python projects.
Install UV:
curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | shClone the force_platform repository and install the project requirements.
Clone using the web URL:
git clone https://github.com/AaronPB/force_platform.gitOr clone with SSH:
git clone git@github.com:AaronPB/force_platform.gitInstall the project requirements, going to the project's folder and entering:
uv venv &&\
uv pip install -r uv.lockWarning
MRPT cannot be installed by pip. As a temporary solution, set include-system-site-packages = true in your .venv/pyvenv.cfg file.
Run it using the following command:
uv run python main.pyIf you use this software, please cite this work using the following BibTeX citation:
@article{POYATOSBAKKER2026120933,
title = {An affordable open-source 3D force platform and a wide force range calibration method},
journal = {Measurement},
volume = {271},
pages = {120933},
year = {2026},
issn = {0263-2241},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.measurement.2026.120933},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0263224126006421},
author = {Aarón-Raúl Poyatos-Bakker and Javier López-Martínez and Daniel García-Vallejo and José M. Muyor and José-Luis Blanco-Claraco},
keywords = {Force platform, Ground reaction forces, Open software, In-situ calibration, Calibration matrix, Biomechanical analysis}
}This work has been funded by the "Programa Operativo FEDER 2014-2020" and the Andalusian "Consejería de Transformación Económica, Industria, Conocimiento y Universidades", under the project UAL2020-CTS-A2100.
