Abstract
Ultra-wide band (UWB) based local positioning systems (LPS) are based on devices and a portable antenna set. The optimal installation height of the antennae is crucial to ensure data accuracy. Collective variables are metrics that consider at least two pairs of coordinates, which may lead to lower precision than an individual one. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the influence of antenna height with collective metrics using a UWB (i.e., IMU; WIMU PRO™, RealTrack Systems, Almeria, Spain) based LPS. Data acquisition was carried out in a basketball court measuring 28 × 15 m. Five devices were used; one of which was carried by a healthy and well-trained athlete (age: 38 years, mass: 76.34 kg, height 1.70 m), while each of the remaining four was positioned on a tripod in one of the four corners of the court. Four kinds of variables were extracted: (1) static distances, (2) dynamic distances, (3) static areas and (4) dynamic areas in all antenna installation modes of 0.15, 1.30 and 2.00 m. The results showed that the antenna of 1.30 m provided better accuracy for all measures (% difference range from −0.94 to 1.17%) followed by the antenna of 2.00 m (% difference range from −2.50 to 2.15%), with the antenna of 0.15 m providing the worst accuracy level (% difference range from −1.05 to 3.28%). Overall, the measurements of distance metrics showed greater accuracy than area metrics (distance % difference range from −0.85 to 2.81% and area % difference range from −2.50 to 3.28). In conclusion, the height of the antennae in basketball courts should be similar to the height at which the devices are attached to a player’s upper back. However, as the precision is sensitive to the magnitude of the measure, further studies should assess the effects of the relative height of antennae in team sports with greater playing spaces.
Highlights
The calculation of positional data, which is based on the location of a player and represented by geographic or Cartesian coordinates [1], has enabled the measurement of a wide range of tactical behavior variables in team sports [2,3,4,5]
As this study considered individually analyzed athlete movements, did not consider collective metrics and highlighted that a slight error in the computation of a player position may cause a substantial deviation from the gold standard in a collective metric, it seems to be of Sensors 2021, 21, 2424 interest to assess the influence of the height of antennae on the measurement of collective variables [12]
Among the new electronic performance and tracking systems (EPTS) validation articles, it is a trend to assess the methodology of the use of EPTS and a few factors have already been investigated, the height of antennae for collective metrics has not yet been assessed
Summary
The calculation of positional data, which is based on the location of a player and represented by geographic or Cartesian coordinates [1], has enabled the measurement of a wide range of tactical behavior variables in team sports [2,3,4,5] These variables can be clustered into individual (i.e., the measurement of the behavior of a player in isolation) [6]. Non-linear analysis techniques (i.e., relative phase and entropy) enable the examination of the coordination between the motion of two oscillators (i.e., players, GCs) and the predictability of the movements [2,3,5,7] Based on these data, technical staff can evaluate tactical behavior during the training process and the competition in team sports [7,8]. As the movement of a single player in a team sport can functionally influence the spatial-temporal characteristics of coordinated movements of teammates and opponents [9] and considering that the non-relationship between individual variables and success has been highlighted [10,11], collective metrics have gained relevance in team sports [2,3,5]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
