Fully integrated AI-enhanced flexible wearable sensor for real-time movement evaluation and table tennis training.

BackgroundIt appears that active video games (AVGs) and training apps that allow for physical activity (PA) in immersive virtual reality (VR) may be useful for sports, health-enhancing PA, and physical education (PE). Therefore, research is needed to identify their potential.ObjectiveThe study aimed to evaluate the intensity and attractiveness of exercise during table tennis (TT) training in VR in arcade and simulation modes and to assess the potential for using such exercises in health-enhancing PA, sport, and PE.MethodsThe research used the Racket Fury: Table Tennis VR. Exercise intensity during TT training in VR was evaluated by heart rate (HR) monitoring and rating of perceived exertion (RPE 6–20). The effectiveness of short-term TT training in VR was estimated based on the user’s performance in playing against an opponent with artificial intelligence (AI), satisfaction with playing TT was measured using the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES), and the potential usefulness of the tested app in PA, sport, and PE was assessed based on a questionnaire for participating PE teachers (30 participants).ResultsPA intensity during TT training in VR expressed as a percentage of maximum heart rate (HRmax) was moderate but was significantly (p < 0.001; d=-0.830) higher in the easier arcade mode (69.50 ± 12.58%HRmax) than in the simulation mode (64.10 ± 9.67%HRmax). Despite the greater fatigue of respondents, user satisfaction was significantly higher in arcade mode. Users’ performance when playing with AI was significantly better after 20 min of training in VR than before training. PE teachers recognize the great potential of the app.ConclusionsThe application tested is characterized by a beneficial PA intensity, with its level depending on the game mode. Facilitating strokes during a game of virtual TT promotes increased intensity of exercise and increased enjoyment of the PA. Short-term TT training in VR improves playing skills in a virtual environment. PE teachers spoke highly of the app and recognized the potential for using VR technology in PA, sports, and school PE.

The purpose of the study is the development and implementation of VR applications for training in popular sports, specifically table tennis. Research methods. Comparative analysis of software tools; study of the software implementation of table tennis game rules, the functionality of various software instruments for modeling the three-dimensional game environment and sports equipment, as well as for creating scenarios for a VR application, enabling the writing of scripts to implement the physics and mechanics of table tennis. Research results. A fully immersive VR application, "Table Tennis Training," has been developed and partially tested within the framework of student education and socio-cultural activities with youth at Murmansk Arctic University. The novelty of this development lies in the VR application's training mode, which implements various sports methodologies for learning table tennis and enables beginners to master the fundamentals of gameplay techniques. Conclusions. The presented VR application "Table Tennis Training" reflects the modern trend of digital transformation in physical education, wellness, and sports activities, which aligns with the strategic direction "Physical Culture and Sports" in the Russian Government's 2024–2030 Directive, which emphasizes the need for the use of domestic software in various areas of activity, including the field of physical culture and sports.

Sensor technology has been deeply into the sports industry, with the help of sensors to monitoring and collection data for the physical training in real-time. In table tennis, wearable sensors can record the amount of training, movement essentials, and the number of strokes of both hands and assist in the testing and evaluation of table tennis. This paper analyzes the application of wearable sensors in table tennis training activities and the details of signal collection and feature extraction. At the same time, machine learning technology often used to recognize and test table tennis training data, and a support vector machine (SVM) is one of the representative classifiers. Applying the processed signal data to the classification and testing of SVM can effectively identify the movement and evaluate the training effect and athletes’ physical fitness. The integration of intelligent sensors and table tennis can effectively improve the evaluation efficiency and quality in the process of teaching and training.

Low mastery of table tennis forehand and backhand strokes among university students is often linked to instruction that is insufficiently structured and does not match learners’ skill levels. Task-progression-based learning is designed to sequence practice tasks from simple to complex, enabling gradual and systematic motor-skill acquisition. This study examined the effectiveness of a task-progression learning model in improving students’ forehand and backhand stroke skills in table tennis. A quantitative quasi-experimental design was employed, involving an experimental group receiving task-progression instruction and a control group receiving conventional instruction. Skill performance was measured using standardized forehand and backhand stroke tests administered before and after the intervention. Inferential statistics (including prerequisite tests and a t-test) were used to compare skill gains between groups. Results indicated that both groups improved, but the experimental group achieved substantially higher post-test performance and improvement. The experimental group’s mean score increased from 62.45 to 82.30 (gain = 19.85), while the control group increased from 63.10 to 71.25 (gain = 8.15), with the difference in gains statistically significant. These findings suggest that progressively sequenced practice tasks facilitate more effective learning of fundamental table tennis techniques and support incremental improvement in movement quality. The study concludes that task-progression-based learning is effective and recommended for table tennis instruction in higher education. Future research should test longer interventions, examine retention and transfer to game performance, and apply task progression to other sport skills and learner profiles.

The aim of the study was to determine the cardiorespiratory and metabolic characteristics during intense and moderate table tennis (TT) training, as well as during actual match play conditions. Blood lactate concentration (Lac), heart rate (HR, beats per minute [bpm]), oxygen uptake (VO2), and energy expenditure (EE) in 7 male participants of the German junior national team (age: 14 ± 1 y, weight: 60.5 ± 5.6 kg height; 165 ± 8 cm) were examined during six training sessions (TS) and during an international match. The VO2 was measured continuously with portable gas analyzers. Lac was assessed every 1 to 3 min during short breaks. Mean (peak) values for Lac, HR, VO2, and EE during the TS were 1.2 ± 0.7 (4.5) mmol·L-1, 135 ± 18 (184) bpm, 23.5 ± 7.3 (43.0) mL·kg-1· min-1, and 6.8 ± 2.0 (11.2) METs, respectively. During match play, mean (peak) values were 1.1 ± 0.2 (1.6) mmol·L-1, 126 ± 22 (189) bpm, 25.6 ± 10.1 (45.9) mL·kg-1·min-1, and 4.8 ± 1.4 (9.6) METs, respectively. For the first time, cardiorespiratory and metabolic data in elite junior table tennis have been documented demonstrating low cardiorespiratory and metabolic demands during TT training and match play in internationally competing juniors.

Introduction: The present study was designed to investigate the effect of visual and skill training on learning forehand drive in table tennis and motor-perceptual abilities (reaction time, coincidence-anticipation timing, eye-hand coordination, and depth perception).Materials and Methods: Forty volunteer female students (Mean±SD age: 21.50±0.78 years) were selected and randomly assigned to one of four groups (each group had 10 participants): visual and tennis training group, visual training group, tennis training group, and control group. Motor perceptual abilities (reaction time, coincidence-anticipation timing, eye-hand coordination, and depth perception) and forehand drive performance were measured before and after the training period, and also after 24 h retention period. After the pretest, including the accuracy of the kicks test for assessment of forehand drive in table tennis and motor-perceptual test, the experimental groups underwent four weeks (three sessions per week) of visual training, table tennis forehand training, or both. The control group followed their normal daily life for the whole study period. Then, they participated in the posttest and 24 h later in the retention test of kick accuracy.Results: The results revealed that visual and table tennis training, visual training, and table tennis training had a significant effect on the reaction time (P=0.001), coincidence-anticipation timing (P=0.001) and eye-hand coordination (error time) (P=0.01). Moreover, visual and tennis training and table tennis training had a significant effect on the acquisition (P=0.001) and retention of forehand drive (P=0.005). Besides, the post hoc LSD (Least Significant Difference) test showed that visual and tennis training had a more significant impact on the learning forehand drive. Visual training and tennis training had a significant effect on eye-hand coordination (number of errors). The three types of training programs were not effective in the depth of perception.Conclusion: Visual training can be used as a supplementary program in the athletes’ training schedule.

Digital sports training based on digital video image processing promises to reduce the reliance on the experience of coaches in the table tennis training process and to achieve a more general physical education base. Based on this approach, this paper describes the specific forms of exercise content, movement characteristics, and skill levels in the table tennis framework and specifies the calculation methods of motion capture and movement characteristics suitable for table tennis. Meanwhile, to further improve the accuracy of the inertial motion capture system in restoring the position posture of the trainees, this paper improves the original inertial motion capture system from two aspects: contact judgment of both feet and correction of the position posture based on the contact position constraint. The simulation results show that the corrected human posture has good action smoothness. This paper first proposes a knowledge-based generic sports-assisted training framework based on generalizing the traditional sports training model. The framework contains four main modules: domain knowledge, trainees, sport evaluation, and controller. The domain knowledge module is a digital representation of the knowledge of the exercise content, improvement instructions, and skill indicators of the sport; the trainee module is the active response of the trainee to the exercise content and improvement instructions; the motion evaluation module uses motion capture technology to obtain the raw motion data of the trainee and further calculates the motion characteristics; the controller module proposes improvement instructions to the trainee or makes him/her practice new content based on the results of the motion evaluation. Based on the results of the motion evaluation, the controller module proposes improvement instructions or makes the trainee practice new content until the trainee achieves the desired goal.

The application of computer technology in the field of sports training is more and more extensive. This paper discusses the application and effect of computer-aided design in table tennis training. More and more automatic control systems which rely on digital model control appear in people’s lives. There is also a lack of introduction of automatic control systems for the training of table tennis players to improve their training efficiency and reaction ability. Therefore, based on an artificial intelligence algorithm, a genetic algorithm is integrated. According to the patting and kicking action of the automatic control system and the camera imaging device, the feature points in the motion process are divided. Based on an artificial intelligence algorithm, feature points are taken as initial values. Through testing, the matrix orthogonality of motion attitude is determined. The influence of computer-aided design on the training effect of table tennis was analyzed. Finally, we will summarize the advantages of computer-aided design in table tennis training and its future development direction.

In sports training, the optical motion capture is limited by complex data processing equipment, space constraints and other issues. This paper presents a design of motion capture system based on MEMS. The system includes the target module and PC module. The former is used to collect human motion information with MEMS sensors, and uploads data to the host computer. The later reproduces human movements in real time by building a virtual mannequin with VTK. Experimental results show that this method can effectively reproduce human motion with the error in 1 degree.

The aim of this research is to investigate the influence of psychosocial factors on motivation and compliance in table tennis training in Indonesia. The research method employed is a cross-sectional observational study involving 30 table tennis student participants from Medan State University. Data were collected through an online survey covering questions on motivation, social support, self-perception, motivation, and compliance in table tennis training. Data analysis involved descriptive analysis and regression to evaluate the relationships between these variables. The research results indicate that motivation, social support, and self-perception are significantly associated with athlete motivation and compliance. The implications of these findings underscore the need to consider psychosocial aspects in the development of training programs and athlete coaching in table tennis in Indonesia. However, this study has limitations and requires further research to validate these findings. Thus, this research provides valuable insights into understanding the factors influencing the performance of table tennis athletes in Indonesia and can serve as a basis for the development of more effective training strategies in the future.

The relevance: Table tennis is a complex analytical sport with versatile techniques, a variety of specific solutions, which has long outgrown the period of mass enthusiasm. To achieve sports results by athletes, general physical, special and psychological training is now necessary. Modern requirements for the level of special, technical, tactical and physical fitness of female athletes, for the entire system of their training are extremely high. In this regard, the importance of specialized factors of sports training of female table tennis players increases significantly. In the long-term training of highly qualified female table tennis players, a number of important stages are investigated, which in their structure have specific tasks and a meaningful focus on their implementation. Tendencies in the development of high-performance sport currently require a systematic improvement of the scientific, theoretical and technological foundations of long-term sports training. However, the lack of fundamental scientific developments that provide coaches and specialists with new scientific knowledge and technological innovations are of insufficiently progressive importance in table tennis. In this regard, the scientific problem of the theoretical and experimental search for the features of the systemic organization of long-term specialized training of table tennis players, in which modern approaches to their necessary sports and technical improvement are leading, is relevant. Based on the great practical coaching experience with the female contingent in table tennis, as well as on scientific achievements in pedagogy of sports, we have formulated the following scientific categorical apparatus. The purpose of the research: to develop the theoretical and methodological foundations for the training of highly qualified female table tennis athletes based on optimal selection of training influences. Research objectives: 1. To study the modern aspects of the development of table tennis, the system of the training process of highly qualified female table tennis athletes, the nature and structural forms of long-term training. 2. To scientifically substantiate the main directions of a systematic approach to the long-term training process in table tennis. 3. To study the state of morphological characteristics of female table tennis players, intellectual potential, the state of psychomotor abilities, technical readiness of female table tennis players in long-term of sports improvement. 4. To form directed game movements of highly qualified female table tennis players for their successful competitive rivalry. 5. To develop an experimental training Program for the training of highly qualified female table tennis athletes based on optimal selection of training effects. 6. To experimentally substantiate the effectiveness of the Training Program for the training of highly qualified female table tennis athletes based on optimal selection of training effects. Scientific novelty and originality of the research: 1. A new scientific direction was developed within the framework of pedagogy of sports: theoretical and methodological substantiation of the training of highly qualified female table tennis athletes based on optimal selection of training influences. 2. A scientific concept of training highly qualified female table tennis athletes was developed and substantiated, which includes a system of psychological, physical and pedagogical factors, as well as a system of methodological foundations: principles, macrocycles, forms and stages of training female athletes and mechanisms of training influences. 3. Theoretically substantiated and implemented in practice a systematic approach to the selection of training effects, including the relationship of various mechanisms, forms and methods, depending on individual characteristics and individual rhythm, the dynamics of mastering the technical and tactical skills of table tennis, which in turn acts as the basis and criterion for optimal selection of training effects. 4. For the first time in theory and practice, the method of game movements was substantiated and applied, accompanied by a complex of musical compositions and considered as an effective means of developing coordination and motor abilities in female athletes. 5. A model of annual macrocycles and a structure for constructing periods of the training process was developed, which includes all types of technical, tactical and psychological training of high-class female table tennis players. Implementation of scientific research results. Theoretical and practical results of the research were presented at international and national scientific conferences, congresses in the field of physical culture and sport. Published in a number of scientific articles, monographs, as well as introduced into the sports - educational and training process of sports schools and table tennis departments in the Republic of Moldova, professional table tennis clubs in Spain, Germany, Turkey, in the Sports Lyceum "Nicolae Rotaru" and the Center for the Olympic Training in table tennis in Constanta (Romania), as well as in the training process of the Table Tennis Federation of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in the training programs of the Faculty of Sport and the Department for Advanced Training of Sports Workers and Coaches of the State University of Physical Education and Sport of the Republic of Moldova. Conclusions: 1. Table tennis as an "object" of research in the system of theory and practice of pedagogy of sport occupies a modest place. So far, the scientific concept of training high-level female table tennis players through the optimal selection of training influences has not been developed. Known studies of this problem are mainly devoted to certain aspects of the organization and conduct of the table tennis training process. In this regard, we have theoretically studied various factors that predetermine the development of table tennis: social (in part), psychological, physical, general pedagogical and methodological, which acted as conceptual prerequisites for developing our approach to training high-class female table tennis players through the optimal selection of training influences. Therefore, this approach should be based on modern theories and knowledge about the structural, content and procedural aspects of the training of highly qualified female table tennis players, and first of all about the patterns of the functional-motor development of female athletes, the patterns of mutual influence and the relationship of psychological, physical, pedagogical and methodological factors, which in many respects predetermines the optimality of training influences. 2. The developed and substantiated theoretical foundations for the training of high-class female table tennis players through the optimal selection of training effects constitute the basic component of our approach and predetermine its methodological and procedural components. Thus, the concept of training high-level female table tennis players through the optimal selection of training influences includes theoretical and methodological foundations, derived and formed in accordance with the relationship of psychological, physical, pedagogical and methodological factors. 3. The classification and structuring of the mechanisms of training effects open up wide opportunities for creativity and variable organization of the training of high-level female table tennis players. Thus, in the individual game sports training of female table tennis players, the leading factor of success is their technical and tactical skills, which are supported by other significant factors of the training process: features of the formation of game movements; development and control of general motor, intellectual, psychomotor, coordination and sports and technical abilities. 4. In order to train highly qualified female table tennis athletes, the entire training process from the first to the eighth stage must be provided with the use of general, special and specialized training tools that allow you to effectively master the technique and tactics of the game, subsequently realizing high sporting excellence at the most prestigious international competitive levels. 5. Conducted scientific studies indicated that the introduction of innovative means and methods of sports training into the structure and content of the training process already at the first 4-year macrocycle contributes to the optimal age-related progression of sports results, mastery and the growth of qualifying achievements among female table tennis players from the Republic of Moldova. 6. An original method of the training process was developed, based on optimal selection of training effects in the process of long-term training of high-class female table tennis players. 7. Theoretical and applied results can act as interdisciplinary knowledge and are transferred through adaptation for the training of high-class female athletes in other sports games. Recommendations. 1. Step-by-step training from a beginner to a high-class athlete in the long -term training process of female table tennis players should become a single preparatory system, the main goal of which is the health of a female athlete and her sports results. 2. In improving the long-term planning of the training process, taking into account the age characteristics of female table tennis players, both in terms of the main and interconnected structural blocks, and in terms of sports qualification, the system of distribution of the training program by years, stages and weekly microcycles is extremely important. 3. On the basis of this study, it is possible to design a targeted, system-forming program of long-term sports training of female table tennis athletes, for all interested sports organizations in table tennis in the Republic of Moldova, with the obligatory holding of methodological seminars for the coaching staff. 4. We recommend that practitioners include in the planning of a long-term training process a special preparatory period with the distribution of volumes of training influences of various predominant directions, designed for the months of June, July and August of the annual sports improvement of female table tennis players, designed for September, October and August are the months of the annual macrocycle from 29 to 40 weeks, with the aim of steadily acquiring the highest sports excellence and the necessary qualifications in table tennis.

Handwriting difficulties are common in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and they have been associated with lower academic achievement and self-esteem. Our aim in this study was to determine if training coordination of the head, eyes, and arm and engaging in the necessary visual concentration associated with table tennis would improve executive functions and school-based handwriting among children with ADHD. We designed a randomized controlled trial to explore the therapeutic efficacy of this table tennis training and recruited 48 children with ADHD that we randomly assigned to one of three equal-sized training groups: (a) actual table tennis, (b) simulated table tennis (exergame), or (c) a control group receiving no additional training. The training intervention lasted 12-weeks in which the two different table tennis trainings (i.e., actual or simulated) were scheduled for three one-hour sessions per week. Outcome measures included a computerized handwriting evaluation, the Stroop test, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Participants in each table tennis training group showed significant improvements in handwriting performance, response time, and required time to achieve automation. Both intervention groups also showed significant improvements on the Stroop Color-Word test, but only the actual table tennis training group showed a significant improvement on the WCST. This study provided evidence of at least short-term improvements in executive functions and handwriting problems in children with ADHD through their participation in table tennis motor coordination activities.

In table tennis training, in view of the problem of large errors when tracking fast moving targets, this study proposes an automatic identification method of table tennis motion trajectory based on deep learning. The multi-view image of the target object is collected by a multi-eye camera and a stereo image pair is formed. After stereo matching, the three-dimensional coordinate group of the target object is obtained by using the three-dimensional positioning principle of stereo vision. In the three-dimensional coordinate system, the mathematical model of table tennis motion is established. The initial position of the table tennis ball is detected by the Vibe algorithm, and the target area frame is marked, and the frame of the detected target area is used as the first frame of the KCF target tracking to track the table tennis ball. Based on this, a rotating table tennis trajectory recognition network is constructed based on LSTM. The experimental results show that the total trajectory error of this method is 39.00 mm, which can accurately identify the motion trajectory.

Balance, coordination, and object control difficulties are common for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which affects their independence and daily activities. Sports-based interventions like Tennikoit and Table Tennis may help improve these motor skills. This study compared the effectiveness of table tennis training and Tennikoit play therapy in helping children with ASD. In a quasi-experimental study, 30 Children were recruited and randomly allocated into two groups: Tennikoit play therapy (n=15) and Table tennis training group (n=15). The treatment was administered for 40 minutes per day, 5 days per week, in both groups. Object control skills and balance were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2) and the Paediatric Berg Balance Scale (PBBS), administered at baseline and at the end of the 8 weeks. In terms of object-control performance assessed using TGMD-2, the Tennikoit group improved from a pre-test mean score of 65.33 (standard deviation [SD]=6.00) to 125.53 (SD=2.97) post-test, whereas the Table Tennis group improved from 62.47 (SD=4.93) to 89.53 (SD=2.97). Between-group comparisons indicated significantly greater improvement in the Tennikoit group (P&lt;0.0001). Similarly, balance performance, assessed using PBBS, increased in both groups. The Tennikoit group showed an improvement from 32.07 (SD=4.59) at baseline to 62.33 (SD=4.88) post-test, whereas the Table Tennis group improved from 28.00 (SD=4.47) to 39.67 (SD=3.09). Between-group analysis again demonstrated significantly greater gains in the Tennikoit group than in the Table Tennis group (P&lt;0.0001). This study concludes that Tennikoit's play therapy group intervention for ASD is associated with greater improvements in balance and object-control skills.

Inertial measurement units (IMUs) offer a method for assessing gait beyond the confines of a laboratory. Signal noise and calibration errors pose significant obstacles to accurately estimating joint angles, particularly during dynamic activities such as running. Advancements in dynamic optimisation tools could enable a more comprehensive analysis with fewer sensors and/or low-quality data. The objective of this study was to compare two IMU-based modelling approaches (inverse kinematics and optimal control simulations) with optical marker-based motion capture in reconstructing running gait kinematics. Six participants performed treadmill running at three speeds whilst marker trajectories and IMU signals were collected concurrently. The subject-specific biomechanical model consisted of a 3D representation of the lower body and torso, with contact spheres added to simulate ground contact in the optimal control simulations. The objective of the optimal control simulations was to track the accelerations, angular velocities, and orientations of eight sensors with simulated signals from the model sensors. Additional constraints were enforced, reflecting physiological and biomechanical principles and targeting dynamic consistency. The objective of the IMU-based inverse kinematics was to minimize the difference between the input and simulated sensor orientations. The joint kinematics derived from both methods were compared against optical marker-based motion capture across a range of running speeds, evaluating the absolute and normalized root mean square errors. Compared with motion-capture joint angles, optimal control simulations resulted in lower absolute errors (RMSE 8° ± 1) that were consistent across all speeds. IMU-based inverse kinematics exhibited greater differences with motion capture (RMSE 12° ± 1), which was more significant at faster speeds. The largest absolute inaccuracies were observed in the sagittal angles when not normalizing for the joint range of motion. The computational times for the optimal control were 46 ± 60 min, whereas they were 19.3 ± 3.7 s for the IMU-based inverse kinematics. Compared with traditional IMU-based inverse kinematics, the optimal control approach provides a more comparative representation of joint kinematics from optical motion capture. This method can mitigate errors associated with closely tracking IMU noise and drift, and it offers a dynamic analysis that considers the underlying forces and torques producing movement. However, these advantages come at the expense of challenges in parameter selection and computational cost. These findings highlight the potential of using IMUs with optimal control methods to provide a comprehensive understanding of gait dynamics across diverse applications. IMU-based inverse kinematics remains a viable option for faster computation and when model fidelity is less of a concern.