Motor Training Research Articles

Secondary care for subjects with stroke: Compliance, usability and technological acceptance of the vCare platform solution

The continuity of care of subjects with chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) is a well-known public health problem. To address this issue, various home-based-technological solutions have been proposed to provide personalized home rehabilitation plans: however, enhancing the compliance is still a challenge. In the framework of the vCare project, an innovative technological home-based platform was developed to provide care and rehabilitation services (motor and cognitive training, e-learning service, and recommendations for additional activities) within a coaching environment in a real-life scenario.The aim of this work was to evaluate the compliance of post stroke subjects with the solution, and the platform's usability and technological acceptance.Patients with stroke underwent the personalized home rehabilitation plan for up to 9 weeks. Clinical status and quality of life were assessed before and after the experimental period; compliance, usability and technological acceptance at the end.Patients experienced the vCare solution without adverse events following their clinical plan. Results were suitable: motor and cognitive training reached 66% and 95% of adherence, respectively. Usability and technological acceptance were above the limits of acceptability.The vCare coaching system might potentially motivate and empower patients with functional disabilities to actively engage themselves in carrying out, autonomously, personalized rehabilitation activities at home.

Performance evaluation of electro-mechanical railway interlocking system for digital twin application

The industries engaged healthcare, manufacturing, and construction automated with exquisite creativity and innovation at the doorstep of Industry 4.0. In this process, digital twins are diligently used to supplement industrial processes, reduce costs, monitor assets, streamline maintenance, reduce downtime, and enable the creation of connected goods. The research is aimed at finding the digital representation of electro-mechanical railway interlocking elements are simulated and its functionality is verified accordingly. With respect to carry out this research, the Indian Railways Mangalagiri Railway Station blueprints were collected to represent the physical Model which consists of signals, points, a crank handle, an LC gate, and many more elements. In this paper, three interlocking elements such as points, crank handle, and LC gate, are analysed, modelled, and simulated by using Model Sim ME of Libero SoC software. Representation of these digital elements were developed using a smart design canvas. Therefore, the proposed methodology will enhance the safety measures and security levels of the train movements and reduces the time required to replace the faulty relay. Similarly, in future, the proposed model could be dumped into the FPGA kit to verify the real-time data for finding the faulty relay in the relay-based interlocking system.

Adapted Games for the Development of Gross Motor and Manipulative Skills of Primary School Children with Down Syndrome

Among the single-subject research models, the single-start, multiple-probe across-behavior model was used. The population of the research consists of children with down syndrome between the ages of six (6) and ten (10) living in Isparta. The sample of the research was created with two (2) children determined by simple random sampling method from among the families that constitute the population and agreed to participate in the research voluntarily. The research lasted seventeen (17) weeks in total. The children participating in the research were able to walk to the determined target in accordance with the tempo, to run to the determined target in accordance with the tempo, to walk between obstacles, to run through obstacles, to walk on a balance board, to jump from the step board to the ground with two feet, to jump from the ground to the step board with two feet, to reach the target with both hands. It is aimed to develop the skills of throwing the ball, throwing the ball to the target with the right hand, and throwing the ball to the target with the left hand. A behavior observation form was used to collect data. The data obtained at the end of the application was analyzed by showing it on a graph. The data obtained in the research were converted into line graphs. It was concluded that children learn simple movements faster than complex movements. It was concluded that the adapted game-based movement training program was effective in the development of psychomotor skills of children with Down syndrome.

Use of a low-tech tool in the improvement of social interaction of patients with Rett Syndrome: an observational study.

The main aim of the present study was to examine whether the use of a low-tech tool, called click4all, inserted into cognitive and motor training can increase social interaction of patients with Rett Syndrome (RTT) with classmates in a school setting. Twenty-seven participants with RTT were randomly assigned to two groups: the experimental group received treatment with click4all, and the control group received traditional treatment without click4all. Parameters were measured before treatment (T1), 6 months after treatment (T2), 6 months after the second treatment phase (T3) and at the end of the third treatment phase (T4). The results demonstrated an increase in levels of social interaction among classmates and patients with RTT in the experimental group, over time, compared to the control group, 95% CI [5.20-15.30]. Classmates also showed a higher level of knowledge related to participants of the experimental group, and this increased over time, 95% CI [24.98-63.52]. The level of knowledge related to the control group was stable over time and lower than the experimental group. This study demonstrated that the use of a low-tech tool can increase social interactions of patients with RTT in a school setting. This is important, as patients with RTT are often restricted in an isolation condition.

The Historical Evolvement of Movement and Exercise Training in Patients with Severe Burns and Their Potential Effects on Grafts, Scars, and Function.

Exercise training for burn patients has become a major part of rehabilitation programs within the last decades. One of the main reasons for prolonged and long-term increased morbidity and mortality in this population is a persistent catabolic state with subsequent loss of lean body mass (LBM). A combination of resistance and aerobic exercises as well as stretching has shown to improve physical function by enhancing cardiopulmonary fitness, LBM, and strength and thus leading to ameliorated long-term outcomes of patients recovering from burns. In this literature review, we show an outline of the implementation of exercise training over the last decades into standardized care for patients with burns.

Using the benefit-harm trade-off method to determine the smallest worthwhile effect of intensive motor training on strength for people with spinal cord injury

Study designInterviews using the benefit-harm trade-off method and an online survey.ObjectivesTo determine the smallest worthwhile effect (SWE) of motor training on strength for people with spinal cord injury (SCI).SettingSCI units, Australia.MethodsForty people with recent SCI who had participated in motor training as part of their rehabilitation program (patient participants) and 37 physiotherapists (physiotherapist participants) working in SCI were recruited. The patient participants underwent an iterative process using the benefit-harm trade-off method to determine the SWE of motor training on strength. The physiotherapist participants were given an online survey to determine the SWE for five different scenarios. Both groups considered the SWE of a physiotherapy intervention involving an additional 12 h of motor training for 10 weeks on top of usual care. They were required to estimate the smallest improvement in strength (points on the Total Motor Score of the International Standards for Neurological Classification of SCI) to justify the effort and associated costs, risks or inconveniences of the motor training.ResultsThe median (interquartile range) smallest improvement in strength that patient and physiotherapist participants deemed worth the effort and associated costs, risks or inconveniences of the motor training was 3 (1–5) points, and 9 (7–13) points, respectively.ConclusionsPeople with recent SCI are willing to devote 12 h a week for 10 weeks to motor training in addition to their usual care to gain small changes in strength. Physiotherapists wanted to see greater improvements to justify the intervention.

Оптимизация конструктивных параметров рекуперативного дышла лесовозного автопоезда

The main advantages and peculiarities of the interaction of the links of a logging road train when moving during wood hauling along under-equipped logging roads are considered. Based on the analysis of the results of the research carried out by Russian and foreign authors, promising ways to improve the efficiency of logging trucks with trailers have been identified. The main disadvantages of the existing designs of the devices for coupling logging trucks with trailers have been presented. An improved design of the regenerative pneumohydraulic rod of the coupler of a road train has been proposed, which ensures a reduction in the maximum efforts during the dynamic interaction of the links, an increase in the road train reliability, the possibility of the power fluid energy recovery with its subsequent beneficial use, as well as the effect of self-pulling of the road train, improving its cross-country ability in the conditions of under-equipped logging roads. It has been revealed that the optimal internal diameter of 2 double-acting hydraulic cylinders connected in series with the free ends is within the range of 95 to 105 mm. With such a diameter, the recovered power reaches 4 kW, the average longitudinal acceleration of the trailer is in the range of 0.75 to 0.83 m/s2. The movement of a logging road train in the studied conditions at a speed of 20 to 60 km/h is accompanied by a change in the average recovered power from 1.8 to 11.3 kW and the average longitudinal acceleration of the trailer – from 0.2 to 1.4 m/s2. It has been determined that at average heights of support surface irregularities of 0.1 to 0.2 m, characteristic of typical under-equipped logging roads, the average recovered power is in the range of 2.2 to 4.1 kW and the average longitudinal acceleration of the trailer is in the range of 0.26 to 0.53 m/s2. The optimal stroke of the regenerative pneumohydraulic rod of the coupler of a road train is 0.55 m, the optimal rate of lengthening (or shortening) of the rod is 0.28 m/s. This ensures the average self-pulling speed of 0.22 m/s, the mean displacement of a logging road train of 0.11 m per one cycle of lengthening (or shortening) of the rod and the power recovered by the rod of 1.75 kW.

Selective plasticity of layer 2/3 inputs onto distal forelimb controlling layer 5 corticospinal neurons with skilled grasp motor training

Layer 5 neurons of the neocortex receive their principal inputs from layer 2/3 neurons. We seek to identify the nature and extent of the plasticity of these projections with motor learning. Using optogenetic and viral intersectional tools to selectively stimulate distinct neuronal subsets in rat primary motor cortex, we simultaneously record from pairs of corticospinal neurons associated with distinct features of motor output control: distal forelimb vs. proximal forelimb. Activation of Channelrhodopsin2-expressing layer 2/3 afferents onto layer 5 in untrained animals produces greater monosynaptic excitation of neurons controlling the proximal forelimb. Following skilled grasp training, layer 2/3 inputs onto corticospinal neurons controlling the distal forelimb associated with skilled grasping become significantly stronger. Moreover, peak excitatory response amplitude nearly doubles while latency shortens, and excitatory-to-inhibitory latencies become significantly prolonged. These findings demonstrate distinct, highly segregated, and cell-specific plasticity of layer 2/3 projections during skilled grasp motor learning.

The contribution of EEG to assess and treat motor disorders in multiple sclerosis

ObjectiveElectroencephalography (EEG) can highlight significant changes in spontaneous electrical activity of the brain produced by altered brain network connectivity linked to inflammatory demyelinating lesions and neuronal loss occurring in multiple sclerosis (MS). In this review, we describe the main EEG findings reported in the literature to characterize motor network alteration in term of local activity or functional connectivity changes in patients with MS (pwMS). MethodsA comprehensive literature search was conducted to include articles with quantitative analyses of resting-state EEG recordings (spectrograms or advanced methods for assessing spatial and temporal dynamics, such as coherence, theory of graphs, recurrent quantification, microstates) or dynamic EEG recordings during a motor task, with or without connectivity analyses. ResultsIn this systematic review, we identified 26 original articles using EEG in the evaluation of MS-related motor disorders. Various resting or dynamic EEG parameters could serve as diagnostic biomarkers of motor control impairment to differentiate pwMS from healthy subjects or be related to a specific clinical condition (fatigue) or neuroradiological aspects (lesion load). ConclusionsWe highlight some key EEG patterns in pwMS at rest and during movement, both suggesting an alteration or disruption of brain connectivity, more specifically involving sensorimotor networks. SignificanceSome of these EEG biomarkers of motor disturbance could be used to design future therapeutic strategies in MS based on neuromodulation approaches, or to predict the effects of motor training and rehabilitation in pwMS.

Implementation in the Motek Caren system with virtual reality of an existing motor rehabilitation programme for people with Down’s syndrome in order to increase its effectiveness

IntroductionDown’s syndrome often requires specialized rehabilitation methods in order to effectively improve cognitive and motor functioning. The growing interest in technologies to support rehabilitation is opening up new and promising perspectives for improving the quality of life of people diagnosed with this syndrome. One of these technologies is the Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN) system from Motek.ObjectivesThe aim of the planned research project is to explore the potential of using the CAREN system in the rehabilitation of people with Down’s syndrome.MethodsThe study included 10 participants with Down’s syndrome (men and women aged 18 to 50 years) without the presence of organic musculoskeletal disease or other somatic causes impairing motor performance. Before the training test, the participants were assessed by two psychological tests: 1) ACE III - Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination III Scale (ACE-III), which assesses attention and orientation, memory, verbal fluency, language and visuospatial functions and 2) the TONI 4 Non-Verbal Intelligence Test, which is a test used to measure general intelligence. The tests were carried out using the MOTEK CAREN device, which consists of a treadmill for motor training and a virtual reality screen on which different scenes are displayed for the participant to see during the test. Integrated motion capture technology was used to assess movement capabilities of the patients.. The screen displayed different types of applications in the form of virtual reality, in which the participant had to cope with various tasks accommodating different psychomotor skills, for example:crossing a virtual bridge, walking through a forest. The test took about 45 minutes per person. Two training sessions were conducted for each of the 10 patients with a one-month interval between them.ResultsThe Motek Caren System has proven to be a promising rehabilitation method for people with Down’s syndrome, compared to previous experience with different rehabilitation methods and existing research in the field.ConclusionsResults emphasize the necessity for further investigations and future research should involve more participants. The project has the potential to integrate modern technology with traditional forms of therapy to improve the quality of life and functioning of people affected by this syndrome.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Rhythmic Movement Training Improves Spatial and Temporal Modulation of Gait in Older Adults with and Without Mild Cognitive Impairment

Rhythmic Movement Training Improves Spatial and Temporal Modulation of Gait in Older Adults with and Without Mild Cognitive Impairment

Актуализация методики учета аэродинамического воздействия от поездов на высокоскоростных железнодорожных магистралях

In the calculation of structures located near railway tracks (noise protection screens along the tracks, overpasses over high-speed railway lines (HSM) of deck elements with downhill driving, etc.), the aerodynamic effects of high-speed trains shall be considered. Objective: study of the aerodynamic impact of a moving high-speed train on structures and structures, Located in the immediate vicinity of the highspeed railway line with subsequent adjustment of the current regulatory framework for the design of TSM infrastructure facilities. Methods: mathematical modeling in a specialized software complex of computational hydrogas dynamics with experimental verification of the developed calculation models and subsequent analysis and generalization of the obtained results. Results: distribution patterns and aerodynamic intensities from a moving high-speed train for the two most characteristic design cases: impact on a vertical surface parallel to the track axis and on a horizontal surface, located above the axis of train movement. For the calculation cases under consideration, the intensity of the impact was related to parameters such as the distance to the structure from the path axis (for the vertical surface) and the height above the rail head (for the horizontal surface). Practical importance: the need Development of proposals for adjustment and addition of the current regulatory framework for the design of structures and structures included in the infrastructure of high-speed railway lines.

Mobilizing railway track stability with nonionic cement asphalt mortar for floating sleeper mitigation – 2D/3D numerical investigation and full-scale testing verification

This study addresses the mitigation of the floating sleeper phenomenon in ballasted railway tracks through the implementation of Nonionic Cement Asphalt Mortar (CAM). Full-scale testing experiments evaluate track performance with and without CAM stabilization, revealing its efficacy in forming a robust membrane between ballast particles to reinforce the track-bed structure. Wheel load modeling, including static and dynamic, train movement modeling, roadbed pressure analysis, distribution of load, and track rigidity analysis. Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) establishes CAM's cost-effectiveness by significantly reducing settlement and ensuring long-term durability. Numerical simulations using ABAQUS demonstrate CAM's effectiveness in stabilizing deteriorated ballast. Furthermore, the simulations prove capable of detecting the floating sleeper phenomenon in the full-scale test bed, offering valuable insights into real-world applications. Both 2D and 3D modeling consistently show a more than 30% reduction in initial settlement and a 0.5 mm displacement in CAM-reinforced ballast compared to controls. Plastic displacement in new ballast is consistently 50% less in the initial 50,000 cycles, with ultimate plastic settlement reduced by 40%, indicating the robustness of CAM across different modeling dimensions. The dataset analysis identifies a floating sleeper issue, evidenced by pressure variations in deteriorated ballast. In the control and simulation sections, there is a pressure drop from 65 kPa to 28 kPa, while the reinforced section maintains stable pressures (50 kPa, 36.5 kPa, 10 kPa) with closely aligned predicted values. Despite pressure reduction in simulated zones, the dataset strongly supports concerns about the substantial pressure decrease due to the floating sleeper phenomenon. LCCA substantiates CAM's economic advantage, showcasing a 79.7% cost reduction over 60 years, endorsing CAM as a sustainable maintenance strategy. In conclusion, CAM stabilization effectively mitigates the floating sleeper effect, ensuring long-term track durability, and providing valuable contributions to sustainable railway infrastructure design and maintenance practices.

Analysis of safe and effective next-generation rail signalling systems

Moving Block (MB) and Virtual Coupling (VC) rail signalling will change current train operation paradigm by migrating vital equipment from trackside to onboard to reduce train separation and maintenance costs. Their actual deployment is however constrained by the industry’s need to identify configurations of MB and VC signalling equipment which can effectively guarantee safe train movements even under degraded operational conditions involving component faults. In this paper, we analyse the effectivity of MB and VC in safely supervising train separation under nominal and degraded conditions by using an innovative approach which combines Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) and Stochastic Activity Networks (SAN). An FTA model of unsafe train movement is defined for both MB and VC capturing functional interactions and cause-effect relations among the different signalling components. The FTA is used as a basis to apportion signalling component failure rates needed to feed the SAN model. Effective MB and VC train supervision is analysed by means of SAN-based simulations in the specific scenario of an error in the Train Position Report (TPR) for five rail market segments featuring different traffic characteristics, namely high-speed, mainline, regional, urban and freight. Results show that the thresholds of the design variables depend on the considered signalling system alternative and the investigated market segment. In particular, the TPR delay threshold allowed for MB is higher than for VC. This means that to ensure a safe train movement, VC cannot absorb a TPR delay of longer than 1.5 s, which corresponds to the mainline market segment. For MB instead, the results show that the maximum TPR delay can reach 3.9 s for high-speed and freight railways. In addition, results showed that the integration of an FTA in a SAN model can provide a better understanding of the safety-performance behaviour of a system where VC showed a higher number of braking indications with respect to MB for the same TPR error failure rate. This means that for VC to effectively supervise the train separation at the same safety level as MB, we would need to have a much higher reliability of the TPR. The overall approach can support infrastructure managers, railway undertakings, and rail signalling suppliers in investigating the effectiveness of MB and VC to safely supervise train movements in scenarios involving different types of degraded conditions and failure events. The proposed method can hence support the railway industry in identifying effective and safe design configurations of next-generation rail signalling systems.

Telemedicine for patients with facial palsy : Current developments and options in otorhinolaryngologic treatment

Digitalization is also becoming increasingly important in medicine. The COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated this process and politicians are trying to create aframework for successful knowledge transfer and better digital medical care. This article describes the role of telemedicine in the treatment of patients suffering from facial nerve palsy. Facial nerve palsy has awide range of effects, from limitations in facial mobility to psychological sequelae. While many of the acute, idiopathic facial nerve palsies improve after afew weeks, around athird of those affected develop synkinesis, involuntary movements that have lifelong functional and psychological consequences. Treatment includes various modalities, from medication and surgery to movement training. Telemedicine offers innovative solutions in cases of regional underuse, but also in the treatment of chronic facial nerve palsies. The article defines the term "telemedicine" in the current context and presents different types of application. Adetailed analysis of the application scenarios of telemedicine in facial nerve palsy patients shows that despite alack of evidence, many potentially useful concepts exist.

Tailoring responsible research and innovation to the translational context: the case of AI-supported exergaming

We discuss the implementation of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) within a project for the development of an AI-supported exergame for assisted movement training, outline outcomes and reflect on methodological opportunities and limitations. We adopted the responsibility-by-design (RbD) standard (CEN CWA 17796:2021) supplemented by methods for collaborative, ethical reflection to foster and support a shift towards a culture of trustworthiness inherent to the entire development process. An embedded ethicist organised the procedure to instantiate a collaborative learning effort and implement RRI in a translational context. Within the interdisciplinary setting of the collaboration and with the support of a technoethicist, we successfully identified relevant, project-specific challenges and developed a roadmap with derived actions, thus meaningfully integrating RRI into the development process. We discuss the methodological procedure in terms of its effectiveness and efficiency, the allocation of responsibilities and roles, particularly regarding potential frictions in the interdisciplinary context with embedded ethics, and the challenges of the translational context. We conclude that the responsibility-by-design standard effectively established a productive workflow for collaborative investigation and work on ethical challenges. We reflect on methodological difficulties and propose possible avenues to our approach.

Stresses in Saturated and Unsaturated Subgrade Layer Induced by Railway Track Vibration

The theoretical and practical studies of the cyclic loads resulting from the movement and passage of trains on the unsaturated subgrade to determine the effect of the degree of saturation and moisture content on the foundations and infrastructure of the railway lines, especially the settlement in the railway lines as a result of the development of the train loads. Thirty-six laboratory experiments were carried out using models that simulate a railway with nearly half the scale of the real one, using an iron box of (1.5 × 1.0 × 1.0) meters and a layer of clay soil with a thickness of 0.5 m representing the base layer, were constructed inside it. Above it, there is a layer of crushed stone representing a 0.2 m thick ballast, topped by a rail line of 0.8 m long installed on three sleeper beams with dimensions of 0.9 m (0.1 × 0.1 m). The subgrade layer has been constructed at different saturation degrees as follows: 100, 80, 70, and 60%. The tests were carried out using different load amplitudes and frequencies. These experiments investigated the effect of the subgrade degree of saturation on the value of the stresses generated on the surface and the middle (vertical and lateral stresses) and the settlement of the subgrade. In the case of unsaturated subgrade soil, an increase in load frequency has a clear effect on increasing the generated stresses in the subgrade layer, especially with lower saturation levels. However, the results and measurements of these experiments found that the load frequency almost had no effect on the values of the stresses generated on the surface and inside the subgrade layer with a 100% degree of saturation. The results of the investigation demonstrated that, while load frequency had a minimal effect on track-panel settlement, it increased with the load amplitude and subgrade soil saturation degree. The change of settlement of the track panel with the number of cycles has a high rate at the beginning; after a while from that, it decreases gradually until, after some value of the number of cycles, the settlement changes at a very low rate and gradually.

Patient's Healthy-Limb Motion Characteristic-Based Assist-As-Needed Control Strategy for Upper-Limb Rehabilitation Robots.

The implementation of a progressive rehabilitation training model to promote patients' motivation efforts can greatly restore damaged central nervous system function in patients. Patients' active engagement can be effectively stimulated by assist-as-needed (AAN) robot rehabilitation training. However, its application in robotic therapy has been hindered by a simple determination method of robot-assisted torque which focuses on the evaluation of only the affected limb's movement ability. Moreover, the expected effect of assistance depends on the designer and deviates from the patient's expectations, and its applicability to different patients is deficient. In this study, we propose a control method with personalized treatment features based on the idea of estimating and mapping the stiffness of the patient's healthy limb. This control method comprises an interactive control module in the task-oriented space based on the quantitative evaluation of motion needs and an inner-loop position control module for the pneumatic swing cylinder in the joint space. An upper-limb endpoint stiffness estimation model was constructed, and a parameter identification algorithm was designed. The upper limb endpoint stiffness which characterizes the patient's ability to complete training movements was obtained by collecting surface electromyographic (sEMG) signals and human-robot interaction forces during patient movement. Then, the motor needs of the affected limb when completing the same movement were quantified based on the performance of the healthy limb. A stiffness-mapping algorithm was designed to dynamically adjust the rehabilitation training trajectory and auxiliary force of the robot based on the actual movement ability of the affected limb, achieving AAN control. Experimental studies were conducted on a self-developed pneumatic upper limb rehabilitation robot, and the results showed that the proposed AAN control method could effectively estimate the patient's movement needs and achieve progressive rehabilitation training. This rehabilitation training robot that simulates the movement characteristics of the patient's healthy limb drives the affected limb, making the intensity of the rehabilitation training task more in line with the patient's pre-morbid limb-use habits and also beneficial for the consistency of bilateral limb movements.

Innovative circuit training for children 10-12 years old to improve forehand and backhand drive skills

Mastery of forehand and backhand drive skills is crucial for the foundational development of table tennis athletes. This study aims to introduce an engaging training methodology for children aged 10-12 to enhance their table tennis abilities. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, data were collected through the Delphi technique and repeated measures. Participants included three academic experts, four professional table tennis coaches, and nine young table tennis players. The research employed a questionnaire featuring a rating scale from one to four (very relevant, relevant, somewhat relevant, not relevant) for content validity and a one to three scale for assessing the practicality of the instruments. Data analysis was conducted using Aiken's formula. Results. The innovation in training methodology using the circuit approach to enhance beginner-level forehand and backhand drives in table tennis demonstrated significant effectiveness. The first aspect, alignment of the training concept with objectives, received a validation score of V = 0.952. Similarly, the training movements' relevance to objectives and the modifications introduced both scored V = 0.952. The suitability of the training procedures received a slightly lower score of V = 0.857. A practicality assessment of all components yielded scores exceeding 80%. Conclusion. The circuit training methodology designed for children aged 10-12 significantly improves forehand and backhand drive skills, demonstrating high content validity and practicality. Consequently, this study's findings endorse the circuit training approach as an effective means to enhance table tennis skills among young athletes.

The development of an automated assessment system for resistance training movement

ABSTRACT Portable data collection devices and machine learning (ML) have been combined in autonomous movement analysis models for resistance training (RT) movements. However, input features for these models were mostly extracted empirically and subsequent models demonstrated limited interpretability and generalisability to real-world settings. This study aimed to investigate the utility of interpretable and generalisable modelling techniques and several data-driven feature extraction (FE) methods. This was achieved by developing machine learning movement analysis models for the barbell back squat and deadlift using markerless motion capture. 61 participants performed submaximal and maximal repetitions of both RT movements. Movement data was collected using two Azure Kinect cameras. Joint and segment kinematic variables were calculated from the collected depth imaging, and input features were extracted using traditional, manual FE methods and novel data-driven techniques. Classifiers were developed for several predefined technical deviations for both movements. Many of the addressed technical deviations could be classified with good levels of accuracy (≥70%) while the remainder were poor (55%–60%). Additionally, data-driven FE techniques were comparable to previous, traditional FE methods. Interpretable and generalisable modelling techniques can be utilised to good effect for certain classification tasks while data-driven FE techniques did not provide a consistent advantage over traditional FE methods.