Measuring behaviour in sport and exercise

Organizers: Tom Allen, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK

Schedule: Wednesday 18th May, 11:00 - 12:45 CET. Virtual Room 2

11:00-11:15    Measuring Behavior in golf - at PING.
Jonathan Shepherd, Loughborough University, UK.

11:15-11:30   Measuring Performance and Infringements in elite race-walkers: the IART system. Teodorico Caporaso & Grazioso Stanislao, University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
Race-walking performance is related to the best chronometric time constrained by the infringements (“bent knee” and “visible loss of ground contact”). The performance and risk of infringements in race-walking can be measured and assessed using the IART (Inertial Assistant Referee and Trainer) system, which is based on the evaluation of the following biomechanical parameters: loss of ground contact time (LOGC), loss of ground contact step classification, step length, step cadence and smoothness.  In this work we describe the IART system and we present its benefits through its positive usage by elite athletes.

11:30-11:45  Chainring Eccentricity Affects Pedal Force Profiles and Musculoskeletal Responses During Cycling. Amy Robinson. Manchester Metropolitan University, UK.
Novel approach to the investigation of the effect of eccentric chainrings in cycling to identify alterations in pedal force profiles, joint angles and muscle-tendon unit mechanics in response to varied alterations in crank angular velocity.

11:45 - 12:00 Assessing the likelihood of serve success using nearest neighbourhood methods. Andy Hext. Sheffield Hallam University, UK.
This paper uses a large tennis dataset to examine the 'returnability' of tennis serves. We calculate this using a nearest neighbourhood method that achieves the objective while maintaining the granularity of the dataset.

Symposium Description: Sports Engineering and equipment development is linked to the measurement of behaviour. Whether it is how the equipment interacts with the body, or how the player perceives the equipment, these aspects are key to equipment design and uptake. Measuring behaviour is essential for improving performance, reducing injury risks and establishing appropriate regulations. Behavioural measurements are used to guide athlete preparation and training interventions, as well as equipment selection and setup. Other aspects of athlete behaviour are important for their health and injury risk reduction. The design of effective safety devices and procedures is also reliant on accurate measurement of athlete behaviour. Traditionally, measurements were constrained to laboratories and expensive motion capture systems, but the emergence of low-cost wearable sensors and camera systems has helped to facilitate in-field testing.

Technology is also playing an increasingly prominent role in recreational sport, exercise and physical activity. Many of us now use sensors to track our movements and monitor our heart rate, whether we’re running in the park or competing at a high level. The developed world is facing a public health crisis. Levels of obesity are increasing, with associated physical and mental health conditions. Exercise and physical activity is one way to increase public health and has been shown to have positive effects on a number of physical and mental conditions. Technology can be our ally when encouraging others to exercise. It can be used to create new environments for exercise or to reveal effective ways to encourage participation.

This symposium presents research from a range of sports and physical activities and considers the impact that measuring behavior has on elite sport, while also exploring the ways we can meet the challenges of increasing and encouraging participation.

This symposium is sponsored by the International Sports Engineering Association (ISEA)