scholarly journals Design and Initial Testing of an Affordable and Accessible Smart Compression Garment to Measure Physical Activity Using Conductive Paint Stretch Sensors

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben Greenspan ◽  
Michele A. Lobo
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Motion Capture ◽  
Sports Medicine ◽  
Assistive Devices ◽  
Natural Setting ◽  
Compression Garment ◽  
Functional Activities ◽  
The One ◽  
Motion Capture Systems ◽  
Conductive Paint

Motion capture and the measurement of physical activity are common practices in the fields of physical therapy, sports medicine, biomechanics, and kinesiology. The data collected by these systems can be very important to understand how someone is recovering or how effective various assistive devices may be. Traditional motion capture systems are very expensive and only allow for data collection to be performed in a lab environment. In our previous research, we have tested the validity of a novel stitched stretch sensor using conductive thread. This paper furthers that research by validating a smart compression garment with integrated conductive paint stretch sensors to measure movement. These sensors are very inexpensive to fabricate and, when paired with an open-sourced wireless microcontroller, can enable a more affordable, accessible, and comfortable form of motion capture. A wearable garment like the one tested in this study could allow us to understand how meaningful, functional activities are performed in a natural setting.

scholarly journals Effects of trees, gardens, and nature trails on heat index and child health: design and methods of the Green Schoolyards Project

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Lanza ◽  
Melody Alcazar ◽  
Deanna M. Hoelscher ◽  
Harold W. Kohl
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
United States ◽  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
The United States ◽  
Heat Index ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Natural Setting ◽  
Physical Activity Levels ◽  
Nature Trails

Abstract Background Latinx children in the United States are at high risk for nature-deficit disorder, heat-related illness, and physical inactivity. We developed the Green Schoolyards Project to investigate how green features—trees, gardens, and nature trails—in school parks impact heat index (i.e., air temperature and relative humidity) within parks, and physical activity levels and socioemotional well-being of these children. Herein, we present novel methods for a) observing children’s interaction with green features and b) measuring heat index and children’s behaviors in a natural setting, and a selection of baseline results. Methods During two September weeks (high temperature) and one November week (moderate temperature) in 2019, we examined three joint-use elementary school parks in Central Texas, United States, serving predominantly low-income Latinx families. To develop thermal profiles for each park, we installed 10 air temperature/relative humidity sensors per park, selecting sites based on land cover, land use, and even spatial coverage. We measured green features within a geographic information system. In a cross-sectional study, we used an adapted version of System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) to assess children’s physical activity levels and interactions with green features. In a cohort study, we equipped 30 3rd and 30 4th grade students per school during recess with accelerometers and Global Positioning System devices, and surveyed these students regarding their connection to nature. Baseline analyses included inverse distance weighting for thermal profiles and summing observed counts of children interacting with trees. Results In September 2019, average daily heat index ranged 2.0 °F among park sites, and maximum daily heat index ranged from 103.4 °F (air temperature = 33.8 °C; relative humidity = 55.2%) under tree canopy to 114.1 °F (air temperature = 37.9 °C; relative humidity = 45.2%) on an unshaded playground. 10.8% more girls and 25.4% more boys interacted with trees in September than in November. Conclusions We found extreme heat conditions at select sites within parks, and children positioning themselves under trees during periods of high heat index. These methods can be used by public health researchers and practitioners to inform the redesign of greenspaces in the face of climate change and health inequities.

scholarly journals Modeling and evaluating beat gestures for social robots

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Unai Zabala ◽  
Igor Rodriguez ◽  
José María Martínez-Otzeta ◽  
Elena Lazkano
Keyword(s):  
Motion Capture ◽  
Motion Capture System ◽  
Generative Adversarial Network ◽  
Adversarial Network ◽  
Desirable Feature ◽  
Quantitative Results ◽  
Path Lengths ◽  
End Effectors ◽  
The One ◽  
Made In

AbstractNatural gestures are a desirable feature for a humanoid robot, as they are presumed to elicit a more comfortable interaction in people. With this aim in mind, we present in this paper a system to develop a natural talking gesture generation behavior. A Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) produces novel beat gestures from the data captured from recordings of human talking. The data is obtained without the need for any kind of wearable, as a motion capture system properly estimates the position of the limbs/joints involved in human expressive talking behavior. After testing in a Pepper robot, it is shown that the system is able to generate natural gestures during large talking periods without becoming repetitive. This approach is computationally more demanding than previous work, therefore a comparison is made in order to evaluate the improvements. This comparison is made by calculating some common measures about the end effectors’ trajectories (jerk and path lengths) and complemented by the Fréchet Gesture Distance (FGD) that aims to measure the fidelity of the generated gestures with respect to the provided ones. Results show that the described system is able to learn natural gestures just by observation and improves the one developed with a simpler motion capture system. The quantitative results are sustained by questionnaire based human evaluation.

SMART STEP – SMARTphone-driven exercise and pedometer-based STEP intervention to promote physical activity among desk-based employees: Study protocol for a three-arm cluster randomized controlled trial

Work ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Baskaran Chandrasekaran ◽  
Chythra R Rao ◽  
Fiddy Davis ◽  
Ashokan Arumugam
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Sports Medicine ◽  
Cardiometabolic Risk ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Fasting Blood Glucose ◽  
Subcutaneous Fat ◽  
Work Productivity ◽  
Sitting Time ◽  
Sickness Absenteeism

BACKGROUND: Prolonged sitting in desk-based office workers is found to be associated with increased cardiometabolic risk and poor cognitive performance. Technology-based physical activity (PA) interventions using smartphone applications (SmPh app) to promote PA levels might be effective in reducing cardiometabolic risk among sedentary population but the evidence remains inconclusive. OBJECTIVE: The objective is to investigate the effects of a technology-based PA intervention compared to PA education with a worksite manual or no intervention on PA levels, cardiometabolic risk, cognitive performance, and work productivity among desk-based employees. METHOD: A three-arm clustered randomized trial will be conducted. The study will be conducted among various administrative offices of a multifaceted university in India. Desk-based employees aged between 30 and 50 years (n = 159; 53 in each arm) will be recruited. Employees from various constituent institutions (clusters) of the university will be randomized into one of the three following groups - SMART: SmPh app-driven break reminders (visual exercise prompts) plus pedometer-based step intervention, TRADE: worksite PA education with a manual plus American College of Sports Medicine guided PA prescription, or CONTROL: usual work group. At baseline and after the 1st, 3rd and 6th month of the trial period, accelerometer-measured sitting time and PA levels, cardiometabolic risk (fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, insulin, blood pressure, heart rate variability, functional capacity, and subcutaneous fat), cognitive performance (executive function), sickness absenteeism and work limitations will be assessed by a blinded assessor. Therapist delivering interventions will not be blinded. CONCLUSION: This trial will determine whether a combined SmPh-app and pedometer-based intervention is more effective than education or no intervention in altering PA levels, cardiometabolic risk and cognitive performance among desk-based employees in India. This study has the potential to foster institutional recommendations for using SmPh-based technology and pedometers to promote PA at work.

Extrinsic Calibration of Camera and Motion Capture Systems

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prashant Ganesh ◽  
Kyle Volle ◽  
Paul Buzaud ◽  
Kevin Brink ◽  
Andrew Willis
Keyword(s):  
Motion Capture ◽  
Extrinsic Calibration ◽  
Motion Capture Systems

Validation of wearable inertial sensor-based gait analysis system for measurement of spatiotemporal parameters and lower extremity joint kinematics in sagittal plane

2022 ◽  
pp. 095441192110729
Author(s):  
Gunjan Patel ◽  
Rajani Mullerpatan ◽  
Bela Agarwal ◽  
Triveni Shetty ◽  
Rajdeep Ojha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gait Analysis ◽  
Motion Analysis ◽  
Motion Capture ◽  
Inertial Sensor ◽  
Joint Kinematics ◽  
Percentage Error ◽  
Motion Capture System ◽  
Spatiotemporal Parameters ◽  
Analysis System ◽  
Motion Capture Systems

Wearable inertial sensor-based motion analysis systems are promising alternatives to standard camera-based motion capture systems for the measurement of gait parameters and joint kinematics. These wearable sensors, unlike camera-based gold standard systems, find usefulness in outdoor natural environment along with confined indoor laboratory-based environment due to miniature size and wireless data transmission. This study reports validation of our developed (i-Sens) wearable motion analysis system against standard motion capture system. Gait analysis was performed at self-selected speed on non-disabled volunteers in indoor ( n = 15) and outdoor ( n = 8) environments. Two i-Sens units were placed at the level of knee and hip along with passive markers (for indoor study only) for simultaneous 3D motion capture using a motion capture system. Mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) was computed for spatiotemporal parameters from the i-Sens system versus the motion capture system as a true reference. Mean and standard deviation of kinematic data for a gait cycle were plotted for both systems against normative data. Joint kinematics data were analyzed to compute the root mean squared error (RMSE) and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Kinematic plots indicate a high degree of accuracy of the i-Sens system with the reference system. Excellent positive correlation was observed between the two systems in terms of hip and knee joint angles (Indoor: hip 3.98° ± 1.03°, knee 6.48° ± 1.91°, Outdoor: hip 3.94° ± 0.78°, knee 5.82° ± 0.99°) with low RMSE. Reliability characteristics (defined using standard statistical thresholds of MAPE) of stride length, cadence, walking speed in both outdoor and indoor environment were well within the “Good” category. The i-Sens system has emerged as a potentially cost-effective, valid, accurate, and reliable alternative to expensive, standard motion capture systems for gait analysis. Further clinical trials using the i-Sens system are warranted on participants across different age groups.

Development of an evidence-informed recommendation guide to facilitate physical activity counseling between oncology care providers and patients in Canada

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela J Fong ◽  
Catherine M Sabiston ◽  
Michelle B Nadler ◽  
Jonathan Sussman ◽  
Hugh Langley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Physical Function ◽  
Sports Medicine ◽  
Development Process ◽  
Assessment Criteria ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Agree Ii ◽  
Physical Activity Counseling ◽  
Oncology Care

Abstract Decision support aids help reduce decision conflict and are reported as acceptable by patients. Currently, an aid from the American College of Sports Medicine exists to help oncology care providers advise, assess, and refer patients to physical activity (PA). However, some limitations include the lack of specific resources and programs for referral, detailed PA, and physical function assessments and not being designed following an international gold standard (Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation [AGREE] II). This study aimed to develop a recommendation guide to facilitate PA counseling by assessing the risk for PA-related adverse events and offering a referral to an appropriate recommendation. Recommendation guide development followed AGREE II, and an AGREE methodologist was consulted. Specifically, a stakeholder group of oncology care providers and cancer survivors were engaged to develop the assessment criteria for comorbidities, PA levels, and physical function. Assessment criteria were developed from published PA interventions, consultations with content experts, and targeted web-based searches for cancer-specific PA programs. Feedback on the recommendation guide was solicited from stakeholders and external reviewers with relevant knowledge and clinical experience. Independent AGREE methodologists appraised the development process. The recommendation guide is a five-page document, including a preamble, assessment criteria for absolute contraindications to PA, comorbidities, and PA/functional capacity with a list of appropriate resources. Independent AGREE methodologists rated the development process as strong and recommended the guide for use. The recommendation guide has the potential to facilitate PA counseling between oncology care providers and cancer survivors, thus, potentially impacting PA behavior.

scholarly journals A Biomechanical Re-Examination of Physical Activity Measurement with Accelerometers

Sensors ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. 3399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonatan Fridolfsson ◽  
Mats Börjesson ◽  
Daniel Arvidsson
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Motion Capture ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Band Pass Filter ◽  
Accelerometer Data ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Frequency Filtering ◽  
Frequency Filter ◽  
Step Frequency ◽  
Activity Intensity

ActiGraph is the most common accelerometer in physical activity research, but it has measurement errors due to restrictive frequency filtering. This study investigated biomechanically how different frequency filtering of accelerometer data affects assessment of activity intensity and age-group differences when measuring physical activity. Data from accelerometer at the hip and motion capture system was recorded during treadmill walking and running from 30 subjects in three different age groups: 10, 15, and >20 years old. Acceleration data was processed to ActiGraph counts with original band-pass filter at 1.66 Hz, to counts with wider filter at either 4 or 10 Hz, and to unfiltered acceleration according to “Euclidian norm minus one” (ENMO). Internal and external power, step frequency, and vertical displacement of center of mass (VD) were estimated from the motion capture data. Widening the frequency filter improved the relationship between higher locomotion speed and counts. It also removed age-group differences and decreased within-group variation. While ActiGraph counts were almost exclusively explained by VD, the counts from the 10 Hz filter were explained by VD and step frequency to an equal degree. In conclusion, a wider frequency filter improves assessment of physical activity intensity by more accurately capturing individual gait patterns.

scholarly journals Use of computer innovative technologies in improving the dartsmen training

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 00061
Author(s):  
Elina Makarova ◽  
Vladislav Dubatovkin ◽  
Nataliya Berezinskaya ◽  
Lyudmila Barkhatova ◽  
Elena Oleynik
Keyword(s):  
Motion Capture ◽  
Body Parts ◽  
Visual Material ◽  
Video Cameras ◽  
Dart Throwing ◽  
Optical Motion ◽  
Optical Motion Capture ◽  
Effective Use ◽  
Near Future ◽  
Motion Capture Systems

The research is focused on studying the possibility of effective use of the dart grip system, the work of the athlete’s hand, to prepare the dartsman for competitions using the MOSAR complex. The experiment uses optical motion capture systems, a set of video cameras, led parameter sensors, and devices that allow to record the movement of body parts and a dart. This method of training and controlling dart throwing can serve as educational and visual material for training future athletes. The use of such motion capture systems in the near future may become one of the main aspects of training, both beginners and professionals, in many sports.

scholarly journals Outdoor Physical Activity During the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic. A Comparative Analysis of Government Restrictions in Italy, France, and Germany

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enrico Michelini ◽  
Nico Bortoletto ◽  
Alessandro Porrovecchio
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Influencing Factor ◽  
National Level ◽  
Scientific Discourse ◽  
The Other ◽  
Risky Behaviour ◽  
Health Politics ◽  
The One

Introduction: Mandated restrictions on outdoor physical activity (PA) during the coronavirus pandemic disrupted the lifeworld of millions of people and led to a contradictory situation. On the one hand, PA was perceived as risky behaviour, as it might facilitate transmission of the virus. On the other hand, while taking precautions, regular PA was an important tool to promote the population's health during the lockdown.Methods: This paper examines the differences in government restrictions on PA in France, Germany, and Italy during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. We draw on techniques of qualitative content analysis and apply a critical theoretical framework to assess the countries' restrictions on PA.Results: Our analysis shows that the restrictions on PA varied in the three countries, in all three countries. This variance is attributed both to differences in the timing and severity of the pandemic in the countries analysed, as well as to the divergence in the relationships between the countries' sport and health systems.Conclusion: At the national level, the variance in restrictions on PA reflect the differences in the spread of the coronavirus and in the health systems' understanding of and approach to PA. The global scientific discourse on the pandemic represents a further key influencing factor. The management of the coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated that the extreme complexity of societies in terms of public health, politics, and the economy pose challenges and unsolvable contradictions.

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