Sports Applications Research Articles

Laboratory evaluation of a wearable head impact sensor for use in water polo and land sports

The SIM-G is a waterproof head impact sensor that has been previously evaluated for use in a headband, but not yet in a mode of attachment suitable for water polo. For this study, a CADEX linear impactor was used to impact a Hybrid III headform while wearing either a headband or modified water polo cap, each housing a SIM-G. In both headgears, the SIM-G consistently underestimated peak linear acceleration ( p < .001) and peak rotational velocity ( p < .001), and consistently overestimated peak rotational acceleration ( p < .001) relative to the headform. These inaccuracies are consistent with previous evaluations of the SIM-G, but notably, impact magnitudes did not differ between the different modes of attachment ( p > .198). The proprietary SIM-G algorithm used for classifying false/true positives performed poorly at the back and crown impact locations in both the water polo cap and headband, but accuracy of this algorithm did not significantly differ between the water polo cap and headband (60.5% vs 49.4%, respectively). The SIM-G’s ability to correctly predict impact location also performed poorly in both headgears when impacts occurred at the crown location, but was significantly better overall in the water polo cap than the headband (80.2% vs 55.6%, respectively). These results demonstrate that the SIM-G exhibits shared limitations and a similar performance overall when placed in either a headband or water polo cap. Potential explanations for the inaccuracies of the SIM-G, as well as methods of optimizing its application in sports, are discussed.

MXene Composite and Coaxial Fibers with High Stretchability and Conductivity for Wearable Strain Sensing Textiles

AbstractThe integration of nanomaterials with high conductivity into stretchable polymer fibers can achieve novel functionalities such as sensing physical deformations. With a metallic conductivity that exceeds other solution‐processed nanomaterials, 2D titanium carbide MXene is an attractive material to produce conducting and stretchable fibers. Here, a scalable wet‐spinning technique is used to produce Ti3C2Tx MXene/polyurethane (PU) composite fibers that show both conductivity and high stretchability. The conductivity at a very low percolation threshold of ≈1 wt% is demonstrated, which is lower than the previously reported values for MXene‐based polymer composites. When used as a strain sensor, the MXene/PU composite fibers show a high gauge factor of ≈12900 (≈238 at 50% strain) and a large sensing strain of ≈152%. The cyclic strain sensing performance is further improved by producing fibers with MXene/PU sheath and pure PU core using a coaxial wet‐spinning process. Using a commercial‐scale knitting machine, MXene/PU fibers are knitted into a one‐piece elbow sleeve, which can track various movements of the wearer's elbow. This study establishes fundamental insights into the behavior of MXene in elastomeric composites and presents strategies to achieve MXene‐based fibers and textiles with strain sensing properties suitable for applications in health, sports, and entertainment.

Physiological Responses of a Jaw-Repositioning Custom-Made Mouthguard on Airway and Their Effects on Athletic Performance.

Martins, RS, Girouard, P, Elliott, E, and Mekary, S. Physiological responses of a jaw repositioning custom-made mouthguard on airway and their effects on athletic performance. J Strength Cond Res 34(2): 422-429, 2020-Advanced dental techniques such as jaw-repositioning have shown to increase lower body muscular power such as vertical jump, but its effects on acceleration and speed have not been studied. Similarly, jaw repositioning is commonly used to increase airways volume and ventilation in a special population (i.e., obstructive sleep apnea); however, its ergogenic effects on aerobic performance have yet not been studied. The purpose of the cross-over study was to investigate the effects of a jaw-repositioning custom-made mouthguard (JCM) on volumetric changes in airway and jaw position and determine the effects this may have on aerobic and anaerobic performance. Results indicated that jaw-repositioning custom-made mouthguard may have an ergogenic effect on performance. The JCM condition showed an increase of 13% in upper airway volume (p = 0.04), 10% in upper airway width (p = 0.004), 7% in ventilation (p = 0.006), 5% in maximal aerobic power (p = 0.003), 4% in time to exhaustion (p = 0.03), 3% in vertical jump (p = 0.03), 2% in broad jump (p = 0.009), and a decrease of 4% in 20-m (p = 0.04) and 2% in 40-m (p = 0.001) sprint times. This is the first study to demonstrate a significant link between jaw repositioning, airway volumetric change, and performance enhancement in both aerobic and anaerobic performances. The results of this study may lead to a change in culture for the use of mouthguards in different sports applications, from high orofacial injury risk sports to other sports, specifically for ergogenic enhancement.

A mechanistic model for tensile property of continuous carbon fiber reinforced plastic composites built by fused filament fabrication

Lightweight and high-strength continuous carbon fiber reinforced plastic (C-CFRP) composites have become promising materials for aerospace, automotive, and sports applications. Recently, fused filament fabrication (FFF) technology enables the production of geometrically complex C-CFRP components that are difficult to fabricate using conventional manufacturing processes. In this study, a novel mechanistic model to predict tensile strength and elastic modulus of C-CFRP parts built by a co-extrusion based FFF process was developed for the first time. The fiber-matrix impregnation behavior, physical gap ratio, and fiber orientation within the as-built C-CFRP were also considered. In order to verify the model, C-CFRP parts were fabricated using different matrix materials including PA, PC, PETG, PLA, and short carbon fiber reinforced PA (SCF/PA) for tensile testing. The comparative results showed that the prediction errors for tensile strength and elastic modulus were less than 5 % and 10 %, respectively. C-CFRP with the matrix of SCF/PA exhibited the largest tensile strength of 288.65 MPa, while C-CFRP with PLA matrix possessed the highest elastic modulus of 29.12 GPa. This study provided an insight into the material-process-impregnation-property relationship during co-extrusion based FFF of C-CFRP components.

스포츠혁신권고안의 함의와 장애인스포츠 분야 적용

스포츠혁신권고안의 함의와 장애인스포츠 분야 적용

Pravni aspekti merčendajzinga u sportu

In the last thirty years, sport has undergone a significant transformation from a means of satisfying the need for physical activity, affirmation or competition with others to an extremely profitable industry. The development of sports has been favored by the development of mass media in terms of the creation of planetary sports idols. Consumers today are exposed to aggressive marketing policies, and manufacturers are trying to overcome information overload by exploiting recognizable symbols that consumers want to identify with through the emotional positioning of products. The authors point out the importance of merchandising as well as all the specificities that it manifests in its application in sports, with particular reference to the legal framework, and instruments for the further transfer of rights and protection of them.

СТАН І ПЕРСПЕКТИВИ ВИКОРИСТАННЯ МОЛЕКУЛЯРНОГО ВОДНЮ ДЛЯ СПОРТСМЕНІВ

Introduction. The study of molecular hydrogen as the latest therapeutic and prophylactic corrector of metabolism has been successfully tested on more than 170 models of pathological conditions. Its effective antioxidant, cytoprotective, anti-inflammatory effect on the body has been proven. Separate studies of the effects of molecular hydrogen have been conducted on athletes. The aim of the study - to investigate the level of research and efficiency of using molecular hydrogen in sports medicine and to predict the algorithm of its further research and practical use. Research Methods: Analysis, generalization of data of professional scientific literature for researching the effect of molecular hydrogen in physical culture and sports and identify opportunities and criteria for its use for athletes and physically active people Results. An analytical study based on the results of professional publications about the effective use of molecular hydrogen for athletes in the world was conducted. The advantages and disadvantages of using molecular hydrogen for the organism are reasoned. Ways and methods of entry of molecular hydrogen into the body are described. Inventions of molecular hydrogen generators of Ukrainian scientists, their advantages over foreign analogues and possibilities of their application in sports are shown. Conclusions. Today in view of the analysis of the situation with the use of molecular hydrogen for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes in medicine and sports medicine in particular, the algorithm of prospects for its further research and practical application follows. Firstly, to study the optimal protocol for the intake of molecular hydrogen, depending on the intensity of physical activity, body weight, age, sex, comorbidities, etc.; secondly, to develop personalized antioxidant strategies for the using molecular hydrogen, taking into account the individual redox characteristics of individuals; thirdly, to investigate the consequences of long-term intake of H2 during exercise; fourthly, to reveal the alternative mechanism underlying the antioxidant action and other positive effects of molecular hydrogen. Key words: sports medicine, hydrogen water, «TIG «Liwing Water»», redox potential, oxidative stress.

Enhanced UHPLC-MS/MS screening of selective androgen receptor modulators following urine hydrolysis

Selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) represent non-steroidal agents commonly abused in human and animal (i.e. equine, canine) sports, with potential for further misuse as growth promoting agents in livestock-based farming. As a direct response to the real and possible implications of illicit application in both sport as well as food production systems, this study incorporated enzymatic hydrolysis (β-glucuronidase/arylsulfatase) into a previously established protocol while maintaining the minimal volume (200 µL) of urine sample required to detect SARMs encompassing various pharmacophores in urine from a range of species (i.e. equine, bovine, human, canine and rodent). The newly presented semi-quantitative UHPLC-MS/MS-based assay is shown to be fit-for-purpose, being rapid and offering high-throughput, with validation findings fulfilling criteria stipulated within relevant doping and food control legislation.•CCβ values determined at 1 ng mL−1 for majority of analytes.•Deconjugation step included in the method led to significantly increased relative abundance of ostarine in analysed incurred urine samples demonstrating the requirement for hydrolysis to detect a total form of emerging SARMs.•Assay amenable for use within routine testing to ensure fair play in animal and human sports and that animal-derived food is free from contamination with SARM residues.

Missing the Mark: Gathering Better Data From Student-Athlete Exit Interviews

A great deal of sport management literature in recent years draws upon the need for effective quantitative and qualitative research methods. However, there are limited cases for a sport management faculty to effectively teach students proper process, design, and implementation of survey or interview research, particularly for real-world sport applications, such as student-athlete exit interviews. This case aims to fill this gap and outlines a plan for students to identify limitations in current student-athlete exit data collection methods and to learn the common barriers associated with effective research design. Students are made aware of common missteps throughout the research process and are provided foundations for effective survey and interview design. Information taught via this case can also be used across sport management contexts, such as fan experience surveys, retail customer satisfaction surveys, or donor satisfaction interviews.

Application and biosafety of nano-copper in sports engineering

Nanomaterials have been widely used in stadiums, sports lawns, athletics tracks, sportswear, sports equipment and sports supplements. However, the entry of nanomaterials into the body may also bring negative effects on cells, lung tissue, liver and kidney tissue, and brain tissue. Also, there are certain hidden dangers of biosecurity. While making full use of the positive effects of nanomaterials on the development of sports engineering, the negative impact of nanomaterials on the environment and human health has also attracted people's attention. Although much research has been done on the toxicity of persistent organic pollutants in the environment, few studies have been conducted on the toxicity of nanomaterials and persistent pollutants. Based on this, this paper mainly analyses the toxic effects and mechanisms of nano-copper in common sports applications using whole-cell biosensors that respond to various stresses. After 30 min of exposure to bacteria, the toxic effect of nano-copper can be quickly detected. Nano-copper can induce a variety of cell damage, including oxidative stress, DNA damage, protein damage and cell membrane damage, resulting in significant cytotoxicity. The generation of hydrogen peroxide caused by Cu (I) released from the nano-copper solution proved to be the main source of nano-copper toxicity. Nano-copper is adsorbed and internalised by cells, which may aggravate the damage to the cells. In contrast, micron copper is relatively stable and almost non-toxic. In addition, Cu (II) can induce protein damage, cell membrane damage, and minor DNA damage only at relatively high concentrations. Therefore, this study shows that whole-cell bacterial sensors that can respond to various stresses are an efficient way to screen for nanoparticle toxicity. And it can be used to clarify the mechanism of toxicity of nano-copper.

Ultra-Low Power Wearable Infant Sleep Position Sensor.

Numerous wearable sensors have been developed for a variety of needs in medical/healthcare/wellness/sports applications, but there are still doubts about their usefulness due to uncomfortable fit or frequent battery charging. Because the size or capacity of battery is the major factor affecting the convenience of wearable sensors, power consumption must be reduced. We developed a method that can significantly reduce the power consumption by introducing a signal repeater and a special switch that provides power only when needed. Antenna radiation characteristics are an important factor in wireless wearable sensors, but soft material encapsulation for comfortable fit results in poor wireless performance. We improved the antenna radiation characteristics by a local encapsulation patterning. In particular, ultra-low power operation enables the use of paper battery to achieve a very thin and flexible form factor. Also, we verified the human body safety through specific absorption rate simulations. With these methods, we demonstrated a wearable infant sleep position sensor. Infants are unable to call for help in unsafe situations, and it is not easy for caregivers to observe them all the time. Our wearable sensor detects infants’ sleep positions in real time and automatically alerts the caregivers when needed.

Piezoresistive Breathing Sensing System with 3D Printed Wearable Casing

Respiratory rate is an important parameter for many health, home care, work, or sport applications. In this paper, a new wearable sensing system based on a piezoresistive FlexiForce sensor has been developed. The sensor can be attached to any common chest strap. A compact 3D casing has been designed and printed with a 3D printer. This casing integrates the sensor and all auxiliary elements of the system: microcontroller, battery, Bluetooth module, connections, battery charger, and acquisition circuit. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study presenting a FlexiForce respiration sensor that includes all system elements in a single compact casing. The source files with the design of the casing have been published as supplementary material to be reused by any interested researcher. The sensing system was tested with twenty-one subjects for different breathing rates. Two different algorithms were developed to obtain the respiratory rate from the voltage signals recorded by the sensor. Statistical tests were performed to determine the optimal computation time window and algorithm. This approach is also novel in this field. Low error values were obtained for a time window of 27 s with an algorithm based on the calculation of time between zero-crossings (4.02%) and with an algorithm based on counting them (3.40%). To promote research transparency and reusability, the dataset with the recorded data and the source code of the algorithms and statistical tests have also been published. Therefore, an open, replicable, low-error, wearable, wireless, and compact sensing system to measure respiratory rate was developed and tested.

Analysis of recycled tire rubber modified bitumen in Albania for quality of the road construction

Over the last decade, air pollution in the Republic of Albania is in a crucial moment and an actual problem that effect on human health. Many of the problems has been noticed in the industrial cities and urban zones where the number of industries and road transport has grown rapidly. One of the largest environmental impacts comes from the landfilled and burning of the waste tires. This problem has made the government to support some companies for building up the recycling industry of the waste tire in Albania. The Recycled Tire Rubber have been used in many fields such as agricultural uses, sport applications, civil engineering, rubber modified asphalt applications etc. Therefore, different parts of the world have used rubber modified asphalts where the benefits were being more widely experienced and recognized. Based on it, our paper will be focused on the asphalt mixtures produced with Recycled Tire Rubber Modified Bitumen’s (RTR-MBs). The analysis of penetration, softening point and Marshall Test will be described in this paper. Our proposal can reduce environmental impact from the waste tires and improving the quality of the road constructions in Albania.

Evaluate the level of application of sports marketing practices in the Iraqi Central Olympic Federations

Evaluate the level of application of sports marketing practices in the Iraqi Central Olympic Federations

Evaluating and Analyzing the Spatial Justice in the Distribution of Sports Applications and Services in Garmsar County

Evaluating and Analyzing the Spatial Justice in the Distribution of Sports Applications and Services in Garmsar County

Near-infrared spectroscopy-derived muscle oxygen saturation on a 0% to 100% scale: reliability and validity of the Moxy Monitor.

.Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to monitor muscle oxygen saturation () is rapidly expanding into applied sports settings. However, the technology is limited due to its inability to convey quantifiable values. A test battery to assess reliability and validity of a 0% to 100% scale modeled by a commercially available NIRS device was established. This test battery applies a commonly used technique, the arterial occlusion method (AOM) to assess repeatability, reproducibility, and face validity. A total of 22 participants completed the test battery to scrutinize the 0% to 100% scale provided by the device. All participants underwent repeated AOM tests in passive and active conditions. The minimum and maximum values were obtained from the AOM and were used in the subsequent analysis. Repeatability and reproducibility were tested for equivalency and Bland–Altman plots were generated. Face validity was assessed by testing values against an a priori defined threshold for mixed venous blood during AOM response. The device exhibits an appropriately functional 0% to 100% scale that is reliable in terms of repeatability and reproducibility. Under the conditions applied in the test battery design, the device is considered valid for application in sports.

HARGRURNN: Human activity recognition using inertial body sensor gated recurrent units recurrent neural network

Internet of Things (IoT), wearable devices, and smartphones are more ubiquitous and available at a reasonable cost. Fitbit, Microsoft Band, Apple Watch, MI band, and Smartphone apps namely Strava and Runkeeper are some of the commercial products which are already available in the market. These products are embedded with the sensors that facilitate them to regularly sense and capture the environmental, physiological, functional data for applications in healthcare, wellbeing, and sports. These sensing devices have mediocre computing capabilities for data processing and transfer. The size of devices is so compact that can be worn on the body put in the pocket or locate in the house. This large scale recorded a wealth of physiological data require an efficient and meaningful interpretation as well as the proper and proficient method of analysis and the classification of data.Human Activity Recognition is classified into two features say Shallow and Deep features. Shallow features are extracted conventionally with the help of a simple machine learning approach. The large-scale time series situ data which require high computation power, processing capabilities, activities, and real-time classification, Deep Learning (DL) is the promising technique to deal with these activities.Weexercise the triaxial Accelerometers and triaxial Gyroscope to capture the data for HAR. The data set measured by the inertial sensor is then divided into the segments of 4 to 10s. The performance will be shown on the parameters of precision (%), Recall (%) and Accuracy (%).Parameter optimization and extraction of the segments are the two areas where we can carry forward our research.

Development of a Mobile Phone App for Measuring Striking Response Time in Combat Sports: Cross-Sectional Validation Study.

BackgroundTReaction is a mobile app developed to determine strike response time at low cost and with easy application in combat sports. However, the validity and accuracy of the response time obtained by the TReaction app has not yet been evaluated.ObjectiveThis study aimed to test the validity and reliability of the TReaction app in measuring motor response time in combat sports.MethodsA total of two athletes performed 59 strikes to assess the response time upon visual stimulus using the TReaction app simultaneously with a high-speed camera. Accuracy of the measure was verified using a computer simulator programmed to discharge visual stimuli and obtain the response time. Pearson correlation, Student t test for dependent samples, and the Bland-Altman analysis were performed. Accuracy was verified using the intraclass correlation coefficient. Effect size (g) and the typical error of measurement (TEM) were calculated. The significance level was set at P<.05.ResultsNo significant difference (P=.56) was found between both systems. The methods presented a very strong correlation (r=0.993). The magnitude of differences was trivial (g<0.25), and TEM was 1.4%. These findings indicate a high accuracy between the computer screen and the mobile app measures to determine the beginning of the task and the response time.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that the TReaction app is a valid tool to evaluate the response time in combat sports athletes.

The Association Between the Acute:Chronic Workload Ratio and Injury and its Application in Team Sports: A Systematic Review.

There has been a recent increase in research examining training load as a method of mitigating injury risk due to its known detrimental effects on player welfare and team performance. The acute:chronic workload ratio (ACWR) takes into account the current training load (acute) and the training load that an athlete has been prepared for (chronic). The ACWR can be calculated using; (1) the rolling average model (RA) and (2) the exponentially weighted moving average model (EWMA). The primary aim of this systematic review was to investigate the literature examining the association between the occurrence of injury and the ACWR and to investigate if sufficient evidence exists to determine the best method of application of the ACWR in team sports. Studies were identified through a comprehensive search of the following databases: EMBASE, Medline, SPORTDiscus, SCOPUS, AMED and CINAHL. Extensive data extraction was performed. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed according to the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) for Cohort Studies. A total of 22 articles met the inclusion criteria. The assessment of article quality had an overall median NOS score of 8 (range 5-9). The findings of this review support the association between the ACWR and non-contact injuries and its use as a valuable tool for monitoring training load as part of a larger scale multifaceted monitoring system that includes other proven methods. There is support for both models, but the EWMA is the more suitable measure, in part due to its greater sensitivity. The most appropriate acute and chronic time periods, and training load variables, may be dependent on the specific sport and its structure. For practitioners, it is the important to understand the intricacies of the ACWR before deciding the best method of calculation. Future research needs to focus on the more sensitive EWMA model, for both sexes, across a larger range of sports and time frames and also combinations with other injury risk factors.

모바일 스포츠 플랫폼의 서비스 품질과 그 결과변인간의 관계 : 모바일 웹사이트와 모바일 애플리케이션 차이를 중심으로

모바일 스포츠 플랫폼의 서비스 품질과 그 결과변인간의 관계 : 모바일 웹사이트와 모바일 애플리케이션 차이를 중심으로