Systems and methods for determining and tracking subject positioning

A method of positioning a subject on a surface, the method comprising:

• placing a plurality of thermal markers on a body of the subject, each one of the plurality of thermal markers radiating thermal energy at a thermal marker temperature that differs from a subject temperature and a surface temperature;
• capturing baseline infrared images of the subject and the plurality of thermal markers with one or more thermal imaging devices at a first point in time, the baseline infrared images comprising baseline image data that indicates an initial relative temperature corresponding to thermal energy radiated by the plurality of thermal markers relative to thermal energy radiated by the subject and the surface at the first point in time;
• capturing updated infrared images of the subject and the plurality of thermal markers with the one or more thermal imaging devices at a second point in time subsequent to the first point in time, the updated infrared image comprising updated image data that indicates an updated relative temperature corresponding to thermal energy radiated by the plurality of thermal markers relative to thermal energy radiated by the subject and the surface at the second point in time;
• transmitting the baseline infrared images and the updated infrared images to a computing device, wherein the computing device distinguishes the plurality of thermal markers from the subject and the surface by using the initial relative temperature from the baseline image data and the updated relative temperature from the updated image data to determine an outline of the subject and determine one or more areas corresponding to the plurality of thermal markers that are indicated in the baseline image data and the updated image data as being located adjacent to or within the outline of the subject and radiating a different temperature relative to the temperature radiated by the subject and determines a corrective movement to align the plurality thermal markers in the updated infrared images with the plurality thermal markers in the baseline infrared images based on a location of the plurality of thermal markers in the baseline infrared images and a location of the plurality of thermal markers in the updated infrared images;
• and
• applying the corrective movement to at least one of the subject and the surface to position the subject on the surface.

A system for positioning a subject on a surface, the system comprising:

• a plurality of thermal markers, wherein at least one of the plurality of thermal markers is arranged at or near a joint of the subject positioned on the surface and wherein each of the plurality of thermal markers radiates thermal energy at a temperature that is distinguishable from thermal energy emitted by the subject positioned on the surface, the surface, and one or more objects proximate the surface, wherein at least one of the plurality of thermal markers is arranged on the surface;
• one or more thermal imaging devices arranged to capture a baseline infrared image and an updated infrared image of the surface and the plurality of thermal markers, wherein:
• the baseline infrared image comprises baseline image data that indicates an initial relative temperature corresponding to thermal energy radiated by the plurality of thermal markers relative to thermal energy radiated by the subject and the surface at a first point in time, and
• the updated infrared image comprises updated image data that indicates an updated relative temperature corresponding to thermal energy radiated by the plurality of thermal markers relative to thermal energy radiated by the subject and the surface at a second point in time subsequent to the first point in time;
• and
• a computing device communicatively coupled to the one or more thermal imaging devices, the computing device configured to
• receive the baseline infrared image and the updated infrared image,
• distinguish the plurality of thermal markers from the subject and the surface by using the initial relative temperature from the baseline image data and the updated relative temperature from the updated image data to determine an outline of the subject and determine one or more areas corresponding to the plurality of thermal markers that are indicated in the baseline image data and the updated image data as being located adjacent to or within the outline of the subject and radiating a different temperature relative to the temperature radiated by the subject, and
• determine a corrective movement for at least one of the subject and the surface to align the plurality of thermal markers in the updated infrared image with the plurality of thermal markers in the baseline infrared image based on a location of the plurality of thermal markers in the baseline infrared image and a location of the plurality of thermal markers in the updated infrared image.