14.2 Timeline, interpolation, and animation editing

The timeline controls the evolution of the posture sequence. It shows the temporal position of each keyframe, the current playback time, and the main animation-editing controls, as shown in Figure 70.

When interpolation is enabled, Ergoniza Intelligent generates intermediate postures in segments whose transitions are defined as interpolable, especially between keyframes created or edited by the user. Segments made up exclusively of automatically captured postures—for example, from a video or an MVNX file—retain the recorded sample sequence and are not automatically interpolated again. Interpolation represents a gradual transition without requiring every point in the movement to be defined manually.

When interpolation is disabled, transitions between postures are not represented progressively. Instead, each recorded posture is maintained until the next keyframe is reached. This option can be useful for representing discrete posture changes or when the system should not generate intermediate positions.

Timeline controls also allow users to select or deselect the entire sequence, change the animation's total duration, delete selected postures, and access graphical representations of the analyzed variables. These functions facilitate the editing of existing sequences and make it possible to adjust the relative duration of the activity's different phases.

In a posture sequence, explicitly recorded postures must be distinguished from postures interpolated by the system. Recorded postures are those created or captured by the user and displayed as keyframes on the timeline. Interpolated postures are intermediate positions automatically generated in segments whose transitions are defined as interpolable.

This distinction is important when interpreting results. A recorded posture represents a body configuration defined by the user or captured from an external source. An interpolated posture, in contrast, is an intermediate estimate calculated by the system to complete the animation's temporal evolution. Therefore, when accuracy during a particular phase is especially important, additional keyframes should be recorded instead of relying exclusively on broad interpolation between two very different postures.

The quality of a manual sequence depends on selecting the appropriate keyframes. If too few postures are recorded, the animation may not adequately represent relevant changes in movement. If too many are recorded, editing may become more complex without necessarily providing a significant improvement in ergonomic interpretation. As a general rule, users should record postures that define relevant changes in the position of the trunk, arms, legs, or head, in the loads handled, or in support conditions.