Sports Technology Research Articles

Human Tree Structure Model of Sports Technology of 3D Reconstruction of Applied Research

Human Tree Structure Model of Sports Technology of 3D Reconstruction of Applied Research

Surveillance technologies as Instruments of discipline in the elite sports coaching context: A cautionary post-structural commentary

The use of surveillance technologies as tools to encourage performance enhancement has become an accepted component of elite coaching. Those from the communities of sports physiology, psychology and biomechanics who promote the application of surveillance technologies have reported multiple benefits for the athlete. Conversely, several socio-cultural studies have suggested that surveillance technologies can lead to an oppressive mechanism of control over the athlete, significantly altering the role and responsibilities of the contemporary coach. In this critical commentary we use a post-structural position and adopt Foucault’s disciplinary analysis to contribute to the ongoing debate surrounding the use of surveillance technology in sport. Specifically, we achieve this by labelling surveillance technologies in sport as what Foucault (1977) might call, instruments of discipline, and by explaining the impact they have upon the working coach and the skilled athlete. We present some suggestions surrounding how to most appropriately utilise surveillance technologies in a sports coaching context and conclude by warning against a binary consideration of the use of technology as either good or bad.

Effect of shoes cleat position on physiological and biomechanical variables of cycling performance

Introduction: The cleat under the cycling shoe is generally positioned below the first metatarsal head, directly over the pedal axis (Silberman et al., 2005, Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 15, 271-276). Previous studies did not found significant change of oxygen consumption (VO2) with moving forward or backward the cleat position (Van Sickle & Hull, 2007, Journal of Biomechanics, 40, 1262-1267; Paton, 2009, International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 4, 517-523) although small changes in electromyography (EMG) activity in leg and thigh muscles have been observed (Ericson et al., 1985, Scandinavian Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 17, 53-61; Litzenberger et al., 2008, The Engineering of Sport 7, 1, 215-222). However, these changes have been observed with non cyclist subjects for larger shoe cleat displacements (+ 50 mm).  Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the acute effects of small variation of cleat position on the energy cost and pedalling technique (kinetics, kinematics and electromyography) during submaximal cycling. The second purpose was to analyze their effects on supramaximal cycling performance.  Methods: Twelve cyclists participated (25 ± 6 years; 69 ± 7 kg; 1.78 ± 0.05 m; Maximal Aerobic Power: 406 ± 40 W), being amateur and elite cyclists, according to previous conventions (Ansley and Cangley, 2009, European Journal of Sport Science, 9(2), 61-85). They performed three 5-min submaximal pedalling exercises (35, 50 and 65% MAP) and one 10-s supramaximal test (sprint) on Lode Excalibur electromagnetically braked cycle ergometer (Lode B. V., Groningen, The Netherlands). Three different cleat positions were studied in a randomized order: under the first metatarsal head, 15 mm forward and 15 mm backward. Power output, oxygen consumption, kinematics of lower limb joints and surface EMG activity (EMG) of six lower limb muscles (rectus femoris: RF, vastus lateralis: VL, biceps femoris: BF, tibialis anterior: TA, gastrocnemius lateralis: GL, soleus: SOL) were recorded during all the pedalling exercises, at 1, breath-by-breath, 200 and 1000 Hz, respectively. The kinematics and RMS over whole crank cycle of EMG activity were computed during 30 consecutives pedalling cycles. One-way ANOVA for repeated measures was performed to analyse the effect of cleat position on biomechanical and physiological variables.   Results and Discussion: Hip ROM was lower in forward position and ankle ROM was lower in backward position compared to the metatarsal position (Figure 1). None significant differences between the three cleat positions were found for knee ROM and RMS despite trends can be observed in backward position for SOL and GL activity to decrease and for RF and TA activity to increase. These tendencies are consistent with previous studies (Ericson et al., 1985; Litzenberger et al., 2008). Like in previous studies (Van Sickle & Hull, 2007; Paton, 2009), small changes of cleat position had no significant effects on VO2, nor on gross efficiency (19.9 ± 1.9 % ; 19.5 ± 2.1 % ;19.4 ± 2.0 % respectively for forward, metatarsal and backward cleat positions). No significant differences in peak power output were found during the supramaximal test between forward (18.9 ± 3.2 W.kg-1), metatarsal (19.0 ± 3.4 W.kg-1) and backward (19.0 ± 2.9 W.kg-1) cleat positions.  To conclude, the main finding of this study is that small changes of cleat position (± 15 mm) involve slight changes of kinematic of the hip and ankle joints without altering cycling efficiency and maximal power output during supramaximal sprints. Although muscular activity level remains unchanged by variation ± 15 mm of cleat position, these results should be completed by the analysis of the muscle timing activation.

The global reality of the Paralympic Movement: Challenges and opportunities in disability sports

The purpose of this study was to briefly illustrate some of the challenges and realities of national and international Paralympic sports. The elite disabled athlete paradigm is still not widely known in the world of regular sports competitions. The winning elite disabled athletes are restricted to a few countries, including the U.S., Canada, Germany, China, and Australia, with limited distribution of disability opportunities in other countries. This tendency for the success of a minority of countries reflects global problems of social vulnerability in accessibility (e.g., in dismantling the stigma of disability), political vulnerability (e.g., representative organizations of sports for the disabled do not fully pratice the philosophy of sport for all), and economic vulnerability (e.g., lack of opportunities for training, assistive sports technology, and sponsorships). Furthermore, elite Paralympic athletes have become veterans. For example, the participation of Brazilian elite athletes in the 1984 Paralympics marked the beginning of a new generation of athletes (approximately 16%) who returned to the Games in 1988. In both 2008 and 2012, nearly 28% of total participants were Brazilian veterans. Although this picture reveals longevity of athletes in the sport, there are many limitations in sports accessibility, often due to geographical centralization of opportunities in large urban centers. Yet, today, the world of Paralympic has been transformed into a sports spectacle, thanks to the exceptional performance of some athletes, to the technology of mass communication, and to the support of audiences during the Games. These superstars offer the world new images and new constructs of ability. While this forum has helped to bring attention to these heroes, other Brazilian athletes (and from other countries as well) are still waiting for their opportunities. Indeed, worldwide, young blind individuals, those in wheelchairs, amputees, or simply the uncoordinated, expect to play, run, swim, and take part in the international model of sport for all. They expect sports opportunities to be a part of their daily lives, an option for rehabilitation and the preservation of health, and a basic human right.

Amyloid imaging and Alzheimer's disease: the unsolved cases.

This scientific commentary refers to ‘Atrophy, hypometabolism and clinical trajectories in patients with amyloid-negative Alzheimer’s disease’, by Chetelat et al. (doi:10.1093/brain/aww159) . The use of advanced imaging technology in sport—international cricket is a good example—has eliminated some old uncertainties but also uncovered new ones that were previously unknown. For example, is it possible for a ball to strike a bat without creating a ‘hot spot’ (local heating through friction detected by infra-red cameras)? The same issue of unearthing novel questions while addressing old ones might be true of the use of imaging technology in dementia. In this issue of Brain , Chetelat and co-workers explore a new question that has emerged from the use of amyloid PET scans in the diagnosis of dementia: how to interpret negative scans in patients who have a clinical phenotype that seems classical for Alzheimer’s disease (Chetelat et al. , 2016). The authors assembled 40 cases with negative amyloid PET scans and a pre-test diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease from four well-established centres (Caen, Melbourne, Amsterdam and San Francisco). Twenty-one of these cases had a typical amnestic presentation. Comparison groups were constructed from amyloid PET-positive typical Alzheimer’s disease cases and healthy volunteers confirmed to be amyloid PET-negative. Inevitably, some limitations arose from differences in procedures across centres. However, the authors developed and implemented a stringent approach to remove as much inconsistency as possible. Strengths of this multi-centre design included central blinded re-reading of all PET scans and verification of all clinical diagnoses by a predefined review process, based on site visits by two core diagnosticians. The principal advantage of a formalized and effective international collaboration was that the authors were able to assemble enough cases to shed some light on the nature and natural history of amyloid-negative cases thought a priori to have …

Gesture Recognition to Make Umpire Decisions

With the growing increase of the utilization of technology in sports; our novel project the Umpire gesture Recognition System aims squarely to introduce a more robust technology to show Umpire choices with the assistance of Gesture Recognition and trailing of hand movement of the Umpire. This technology helps to alleviate the burden of the scorekeepers. It conjointly minimizes errors in displaying Umpire choices therefore adding to a more robust viewing expertise. This paper presents four easy but economical ways to implement hand gesture recognition specifically Subtraction, Gradient, Principal elements Analysis and Rotation Invariant. The ways used were in to retrieve the right matches. The results supported speed and accuracy was analysed.

Communication, Sportsmanship, and Negotiating Ethical Conduct on the Digital Playing Field

This study examines sportsmanship and ethics on the digital playing field of Strava—a mobile fitness application (app) that records bicycle rides and uploads the data to an online network of other users. Specifically, the study utilizes a social shaping and construction of technology theoretical framework to investigate and discuss how users of Strava communicatively negotiate what it means to be an ethical user of the technology. Drawing on interviews and participant observations of 47 users of the cycling-focused fitness app, the study presents how users perceive and understand online and off-line actions in terms of ethical conduct. Findings indicate that users view actions as indeterminate or disreputable. While disreputable actions are considered outright cheating, indeterminate actions remain in a gray area that is ethically questionable. The study details how the communicative features of Strava allow users to enact sportsmanship through kudos (e.g., congratulatory comments) and refereeing (e.g., flagging user data). This article concludes by offering examples of how relevant social groups are beginning to shape the sports technology.

Wearing Eye Tracking Technology During Batting Practice: Assessing the Experiences of Professional Baseball Athletes

Utilizing wearable technology in sport allows for the collection of motor behavior data during task engagement. This data can be assessed in real-time or retrospectively. Although enriching the scope of performance data, the consequences of wearable technology on the athlete-user, specifically the cognitive effects, has not been fully investigated, hence the purpose of this study. This qualitative study examines the cognitions of 57 professional baseball players who wore eye tracking technology whilst engaged in batting practice. Their verbal self-reports were framed by temporal context: before-during-after task. Three themes emerged during the pre-task segment: social appearance anxiety, claimed self-handicapping, and curiosity. During the task of batting, verbal behavior contained motivational and instructional overt self-talk while claimed self-handicapping was sustained. The final, post-performance segment was marked by the re-emergence of curiosity from the pre-task period as well as self-evaluation/appraisal. Given the participants were professional athletes, their performance has greater career implications than amateur competitors. Nonetheless, the verbal behavior elicited while wearing eye tracking technology indicates an awareness of the equipment by the user. This study found cognitive effects from wearable technology; more research is required to understand the scope and nature of those effects on cognitive and motor behaviors.

An insight into the use and assessment of lower limb running prostheses in sport with a disability: A mixed method approach

AbstractIn able-bodied sport, controversy has occasionally been caused through the adoption or introduction of sports technology. However, scant attention has specifically been paid to sport with a disability with respect to such concerns. This article therefore investigates the use of lower limb running prostheses (LLRPs) in competition by below-knee amputees. This study uses a four-phase mixed method approach to investigate the nature, use and assessment of LLRPs. The first phase conducted a statistical analysis of the sports time series data to ascertain the progression of the sport when considering the impact of sports technology. The second phase performed a stakeholder assessment of the sport using the Delphi method and provided a proposed series of guidelines for lower limb prostheses technology inclusion. The third phase assessed the behaviour of LLRPs in a competitive environment. Ultimately, the three previous phases provided information that led to the fourth phase. This phase investigated the ...

Just another Title? MSc. Human Factors Engineering Versus Sports Engineering

Winter semester 2012 a new interdisciplinary study course MSc. Human Factors Engineering (HFE) has been started at TUM Munich School of Engineering. This four semester study course (120 ECTS) is open for graduates holding a bachelor's degree either in engineering science, natural science or humanities such as sports science or psychology. Sports Engineering is one of three possible focus areas the students can choose by selecting certain required and elective modules. We believe that the combination of Human Factors and Sports Engineering offers a reasonable supplement and a chance for more job opportunities for our graduates – not only in sports industry. The study course is furthermore evaluated in the context of a PhD thesis, with a focus on motivational aspects. The evaluation, based on interviews, a survey and the analysis of job advertisements, gives well-grounded indications for a further development of this Master program.

Adaptive Sensor Data Acquisition for Gait Analysis

In this paper a method is presented that uses one sensor configuration for both static and dynamic loading conditions to capture plantar pressure distribution values. In the gait analysis, different phases are from interest. The phases produces highly different signals and with conventional sensors and static data acquisition systems it is often difficult to achieve high precision measure- ments. An advanced programmable amplifier can be used to adapt the full resolution of the measurement system dynamically to the needs of the gait analyses. With the proposed system, it is possible to precisely measure the gait phases without changing any hardware. While the system is performing it is energy efficient as it only consumes power if needed. Furthermore, it is highly integrated and space saving. Thus, ideally suited for mobile outdoor applications. The technology used in this example can be applied to many different general sensor measurement questions in sports engineering.

The ISEA Winterschool in Sports Engineering: 5 Years of Education and Team Building Experiences

Aim of the work is to present the ISEA Winterschool experience, spanning over the last 5 years. From 2011 to 2015, 150 students coming from several countries of the world joined the Winterschool in San Vito di Cadore, Italy, spending five days of intense teaching, testing and analysis activities under the guidance of 11 university professors experts in the field of winter sports. The support of about 25 tutors and the presence of a number of industry representative allowed the community to grow in the knowledge of Wintersports engineering and to build and reinforce friendly collaborations. This fostered the exchange of knowledges, stimulated joint projects and student exchanges over the years, that will last as positive results of the experience.

A New Wind Tunnel Facility Dedicated to Sports Technology Research and Development

It is desirable to test sportswear and sports equipment at exactly the same conditions experienced during use. Although outdoor tests are in many cases the most adequate, they are at the same time quite complex, demand special measurement technology and wearable equipment. Results of such tests are often hard to interpret due to large variations because of rapidly varying ambient conditions and individual specifics of human objects, among other factors, which are hard or impossible to control. One common alternative is provided through indoor tests made in a stable, controlled environment.Controlling such parameters as temperature, wind speed and direction, air humidity with indoor facilities intended to replicate ambient conditions, and designed to house large objects, is a complex undertaking. Furthermore, replicating seasonal conditions complicates matters even more. A significant amount of research and development related to the operation of sports and other related equipment at high speeds and windy conditions has been carried out in wind tunnels with different degrees of climatic realism. However, the majority of such facilities are designed and constructed for the automotive industry, the aerospace industry and for marine research. A new wind tunnel facility, opened in March 2015 at the Sports Tech Research Centre at Mid Sweden University, is currently among the very few facilities in the world designed under the direct control of sports technology specialists and dedicated primarily to research and development within sports, outdoor clothing and footwear as well as equipment development and testing.The main goal when constructing this dedicated facility has been to successfully replicate ambient conditions for training and equipment testing in environments with controlled wind speed, temperature (+4 to +35°C) and precipitation (from fine mist to heavy downfall). The wind tunnel facility houses the largest moving belt in Sweden (5 m long and 2.7 m wide) which can be adjusted for leveled, uphill and downhill motion. The moving belt is placed in a 10 m2 test section in which the wind speed can be adjusted to match belt speed or independently up to 55km/h (without narrowing the test section). A fog and rain system, mounted in the test section, can generate rainy conditions varying from fine mist to heavy monsoon. It is also possible to open the facility in order to allow experiments to be performed in wide range of outdoor, ambient conditions.This paper presents the basic parameters of the new wind tunnel facility. As this facility is open for wider international cooperation, we also report the general directions of current research and the future work planned to be carried out at this facility.

スノースポーツにおけるスポーツ工学的研究(<小特集>勝利・記録に挑むスポーツ工学―リオからピョンチャンそして2020東京へ―)

スノースポーツにおけるスポーツ工学的研究(<小特集>勝利・記録に挑むスポーツ工学―リオからピョンチャンそして2020東京へ―)

「勝利・記録に挑むスポーツ工学―リオからピョンチャンそして2020 東京へ―」小特集号発刊に際して(<小特集>勝利・記録に挑むスポーツ工学―リオからピョンチャンそして2020東京へ―)

「勝利・記録に挑むスポーツ工学―リオからピョンチャンそして2020 東京へ―」小特集号発刊に際して(<小特集>勝利・記録に挑むスポーツ工学―リオからピョンチャンそして2020東京へ―)

フレキシブル衝撃力センサのスポーツ工学への適用

フレキシブル衝撃力センサのスポーツ工学への適用

スポーツ工学の競技スポーツへの貢献(<小特集>勝利・記録に挑むスポーツ工学―リオからピョンチャンそして2020東京へ―)

スポーツ工学の競技スポーツへの貢献(<小特集>勝利・記録に挑むスポーツ工学―リオからピョンチャンそして2020東京へ―)

Rethinking the Safety of Jockey Helmets: A Statistical Comparison of Different Composite Laminate Helmet Shells

Jockeys are exposed to high risk of head injuries while riding. Therefore, helmets are vital for protection. Carbon fibre is widely used in sports technology due to its mechanical properties. Applying carbon fibre in jockey helmet shells could decrease the risk of fatal head injuries. The aim of the research was to investigate the safety performance of jockey helmet shells made out of carbon fibre. Four different shell types were produced with the same prepreg material. They differ in the number of layers (four or five) and patterns (two and four). Peak deceleration was used to compare the different type of shells through 2-wire drop tests. Gaussian and Mean curvatures of the impact sites were also measured to obtain a better understanding of the impact behaviour. The two-patterned shell with the five layers (2P5) showed the best overall performance during the standard impact test.

The Effects of Varied Terrain and Bicycle Fitting on Aerobic Power Production: Test methodology

Background : Elite cycling occurs over varied terrain and distances, within all of these events the need to maximise performance is of paramount importance. This can be in the form of specific training, nutrition plan or optimal bicycle fit (Faria et al., 2005: Sports Medicine, 35(4), 313-- ‐ 337). Currently there are recommend setups published for maximising anaerobic power, aerobic economy and injury prevention (Silberman et al., 2005: Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 15, 271-- ‐ 276; Bini et al., 2011: Sports Medicine, 41(6), 463-- ‐ 476). However, none take into account the effects of varied terrain and no recommendation exists for aerobic power. Purpose : The aim of this study was to develop a process to identify an optimal bicycle fit for aerobic power production for varied terrain. Methods : The testing protocol involved 4 separate trials conducted on a custom-- ‐ made ergometer within the Sports Technology Institute at Loughborough University (Lugo et al., 2014: Journal of Science and Cycling, 3(2), 27). During the first trial the subjects performed a 20-- ‐ minute time trial from which their Functional Threshold Power) and Functional Threshold Heart Rate (FTHR) are obtained. Current bicycle fit (i.e. saddle height, handlebar reach) and anthropometric (i.e. 25o knee flexion, inseam) measurements were also recorded during the first trial. The FTP and FTHR magnitudes were used on subsequent trials to set the intensity and torque values. On the remaining 3 trials the subject pedalled against a load chosen to simulate a specific terrain (see Table 1). Within each trial the subject performed a 5-- ‐ minute effort at 80% FTHR for each of 9 possible bicycle setups (see Table 2). Electromyography (EMG) surface electrodes were placed on both the left and right legs for the Vastus Lateralis (VL), Biceps Femoris Long Head (BF) and Medial Head of the Gastronemius (G). Power and muscle activity were measured for the whole 5-- ‐ minute effort however, the analysis was focused on the last minute of the effort. Results : Paired t-- ‐ tests comparing the net power output for the original setup and all the other 8 alternative positions were carried out, a significant difference was found for positions 2, 3, and 8 (see Table 3). The most significant difference was found for position 8 (p-- ‐ value = 0.011). Using the average power observed for each setup, the time difference for a simulated 10 -- ‐ mile time trial when compared to the original setup was calculated following the mechanistic model presented by Dahmen et al., 2-- ‐ 11 (see Figure 1). For the positions with significant differences (i.e. 2, 3, 8) the largest improvement was seen for position 8 while the largest deterioration occurred for position 3. The power across the pedal cycle shows that for the right leg the difference between the 8th position and the original position is small (mean difference = 0.20 W) however for the left leg the difference is considerable (mean difference = 4.49 W), starting at 200o and reaching a maximum at 300o (see Figure 2). The increase in net power observed during the second phase of the upstroke occurs due to an increased right leg Vastus Lateralis (VL) activity (see Figure 3). Discussion : The used ergometer allows automated alteration of the setup while the rider is cycling, therefore several positions can be tested in a single trial. This capability also reduces the errors associated with EMG electrode placement between trials and longitudinal effects due to subject variability observed when current ergometers are used (Hug F. and Dorel S. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology: 2009 19, 182 -- ‐ 198). Comparison between the original and alternate setups from mechanical (i.e. power) and biomechanical (i.e. EMG) points of view allow identifying the effect of bike setup changes and the mechanisms behind them for different terrains. Currently only 2 subjects have completed all trials however, a larger number of subjects are being recruited and results will be reported in the future. Conclusion : The proposed methodology together with the ergometer capabilities can be used to identify optimal bicycle setups for different terrains based on maximal aerobic power production. The corresponding muscle activation patterns allow a greater understanding of pedalling mechanics and the how terrain and bicycle set up affects them.

Media, digital technology and learning in sport: a critical response to Hodkinson, Biesta and James

Background: In their 2008 paper, Hodkinson, Biesta and James draw on the sociological theories of Pierre Bourdieu to construct what they claim is a ‘holistic’ theoretical framework for understanding learning. While not an attempt to dissolve the long-standing opposition between ‘cognitive’ and ‘situated’ theories, the authors claim that thinking about learning and learners in ‘cultural’ terms via Bourdieu's theories allows us theoretically to integrate individuals and learning contexts. The result, they claim, is a ‘scalable’ theory of learning that overcomes the dualisms – such as structure/agency and individual/society – that dog learning theory. We welcome both Hodkinson et al.’s ideas and overall goal. However, we were struck by the absence of any mention of communications media or digital technology in their theoretical framework. Does this mean that media and digital technology can straightforwardly be mapped onto Hodkinson et al.’s theory? Or is this a serious oversight?Purpose: Given the large amount of recent theorising about the transformative educational potential of media and digital technology – admittedly much of it speculative and hyperbolic – there appear to be some grounds for troubling some of Hodkinson et al.’s ideas by prioritising the effects of media and digital technology on learning.Methods: We used two examples of learning in sports, one historical and the other contemporary, to consider the theoretical implications of media and digital technology's role in sports learning. The first explores the ways professional footballers learned to produce displays of emotion during the 1950s and 1960s. Our second example presents data from semi-structured interviews with downhill longboard skateboarders and focuses on how these young people use and think about digital technology as they learn their sport.Findings: While not rejecting Hodkinson et al.’s preference for Bourdieu's sociological theories, we draw on other theories that do not see the relationship between the ‘individual’ and ‘society’ as their conceptual starting point. To this end, we touch on Actor Network Theory (ANT), ‘connectivism’ and the theoretical work of Deleuze and Guattari in order to at least question whether Bourdieu's ideas are sufficiently flexible or dynamic to account for learning in media- and technology-saturated environments. Most obviously, rather than the individual/society dualism which Hodkinson et al. simultaneously question but also rely on, are there advantages in using ‘flatter’ metaphors such as the ‘network’ to understand learning?Conclusions: We agree with Hodkinson et al.’s point that theories are tools for thinking with and that their metaphorical power can and should be harnessed to improve the way we teach. It is for this reason that we question Hodkinson et al.’s claim to offer a ‘holistic’ theory of learning. All theories, like metaphors, have real-world limitations and this is why we should always be suspicious of theories that claim to be able to ‘see’ the world from all angles and, perhaps more fundamentally, to dissolve the dualisms that they are built on. Theories are always a partial view from somewhere and just as they help us to see some things, they do so by demanding that we not see others.