This paper describes the work that is done by a group of I3 students at Philips CFT in Eindhoven, Netherlands. I3 is an initiative of Fontys University of Professional Education also located in Eindhoven. The work focuses on the use of computer vision in motion control. Experiments are done with several techniques for object recognition and tracking, and with the guidance of a robot movement by means of computer vision. These experiments involve detection of coloured objects, object detection based on specific features, template matching with automatically generated templates, and interaction of a robot with a physical object that is viewed by a camera mounted on the robot.
Circular and elliptical motion are fundamental topics in physics education, yet learners often struggle to grasp them. We investigate how interactive qualitative representations can be used to describe the characteristic behavior of circular and elliptical motion. We use the vocabulary and algorithms known as qualitative reasoning, which make it possible to represent the distinct features of these systems in a conceptual way. Leveraging the close alignment between qualitative reasoning and human reasoning about dynamic systems, these representations have the potential to enhance understanding in this domain.
Inertial measurement units (IMUs) allow for measurements of kinematic movements outside the laboratory, persevering the athlete-environment relationship. To use IMUs in a sport-specific setting, it is necessary to validate sport-specific movements. The aim of this study was to assess the concurrent validity of the Xsens IMU system by comparing it to the Vicon optoelectronic motion system for lower-limb joint angle measurements during jump-landing and change-of-direction tasks. Ten recreational athletes performed four tasks; single-leg hop and landing, running double-leg vertical jump landing, single-leg deceleration and push off, and sidestep cut, while kinematics were recorded by 17 IMUs (Xsens Technologies B.V.) and eight motion capture cameras (Vicon Motion Systems, Ltd). Validity of lower-body joint kinematics was assessed using measures of agreement (cross-correlation: XCORR) and error (root mean square deviation and amplitude difference). Excellent agreement was found in the sagittal plane for all joints and tasks (XCORR > 0.92). Highly variable agreement was found for knee and ankle in transverse and frontal plane. Relatively high error rates were found in all joints. In conclusion, this study shows that the Xsens IMU system provides highly comparable waveforms of sagittal lower-body joint kinematics in sport-specific movements. Caution is advised interpreting frontal and transverse plane kinematics as between-system agreement highly varied.
Despite the recognized benefits of running for promoting overall health, its widespread adoption faces a significant challenge due to high injury rates. In 2022, runners reported 660,000 injuries, constituting 13% of the total 5.1 million sports-related injuries in the Netherlands. This translates to a disturbing average of 5.5 injuries per 1,000 hours of running, significantly higher than other sports such as fitness (1.5 injuries per 1,000 hours). Moreover, running serves as the foundation of locomotion in various sports. This emphasizes the need for targeted injury prevention strategies and rehabilitation measures. Recognizing this social issue, wearable technologies have the potential to improve motor learning, reduce injury risks, and optimize overall running performance. However, unlocking their full potential requires a nuanced understanding of the information conveyed to runners. To address this, a collaborative project merges Movella’s motion capture technology with Saxion’s expertise in e-textiles and user-centered design. The result is the development of a smart garment with accurate motion capture technology and personalized haptic feedback. By integrating both sensor and actuator technology, feedback can be provided to communicate effective risks and intuitive directional information from a user-centered perspective, leaving visual and auditory cues available for other tasks. This exploratory project aims to prioritize wearability by focusing on robust sensor and actuator fixation, a suitable vibration intensity and responsiveness of the system. The developed prototype is used to identify appropriate body locations for vibrotactile stimulation, refine running styles and to design effective vibration patterns with the overarching objective to promote motor learning and reduce the risk of injuries. Ultimately, this collaboration aims to drive innovation in sports and health technology across different athletic disciplines and rehabilitation settings.
Examining in-class activities to facilitate academic achievement in higher educationThere is an increasing interest in how to create an effective and comfortable indoor environment for lecturers and students in higher education. To achieve evidence-based improvements in the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of higher education learning environments, this research aimed to gain new knowledge for creating optimal indoor environmental conditions that best facilitate in-class activities, i.e. teaching and learning, and foster academic achievement. The academic performance of lecturers and students is subdivided into short-term academic performance, for example, during a lecture and long-term academic performance, during an academic course or year, for example. First, a systematic literature review was conducted to reveal the effect of indoor environmental quality in classrooms in higher education on the quality of teaching, the quality of learning, and students’ academic achievement. With the information gathered on the applied methods during the literature review, a systematic approach was developed and validated to capture the effect of the IEQ on the main outcomes. This approach enables research that aims to examine the effect of all four IEQ parameters, indoor air quality, thermal conditions, lighting conditions, and acoustic conditions on students’ perceptions, responses, and short-term academic performance in the context of higher education classrooms. Next, a field experiment was conducted, applying the validated systematic approach, to explore the effect of multiple indoor environmental parameters on students and their short-term academic performance in higher education. Finally, a qualitative case study gathered lecturers’ and students’ perceptions related to the IEQ. Furthermore, how these users interact with the environment to maintain an acceptable IEQ was studied.During the systematic literature review, multiple scientific databases were searched to identify relevant scientific evidence. After the screening process, 21 publications were included. The collected evidence showed that IEQ can contribute positively to students’ academic achievement. However, it can also affect the performance of students negatively, even if the IEQ meets current standards for classrooms’ IEQ conditions. Not one optimal IEQ was identified after studying the evidence. Indoor environmental conditions in which students perform at their best differ and are task depended, indicating that classrooms should facilitate multiple indoor environmental conditions. Furthermore, the evidence provides practical information for improving the design of experimental studies, helps researchers in identifying relevant parameters, and lists methods to examine the influence of the IEQ on users.The measurement methods deduced from the included studies of the literature review, were used for the development of a systematic approach measuring classroom IEQ and students’ perceived IEQ, internal responses, and short-term academic performance. This approach allowed studying the effect of multiple IEQ parameters simultaneously and was tested in a pilot study during a regular academic course. The perceptions, internal responses, and short-term academic performance of participating students were measured. The results show associations between natural variations of the IEQ and students’ perceptions. These perceptions were associated with their physiological and cognitive responses. Furthermore, students’ perceived cognitive responses were associated with their short-term academic performance. These observed associations confirm the construct validity of the composed systematic approach. This systematic approach was then applied in a field experiment, to explore the effect of multiple indoor environmental parameters on students and their short-term academic performance in higher education. A field study, with a between-groups experimental design, was conducted during a regular academic course in 2020-2021 to analyze the effect of different acoustic, lighting, and indoor air quality (IAQ) conditions. First, the reverberation time was manipulated to 0.4 s in the intervention condition (control condition 0.6 s). Second, the horizontal illuminance level was raised from 500 to 750 lx in the intervention condition (control condition 500 lx). These conditions correspond with quality class A (intervention condition) and B (control condition), specified in Dutch IEQ guidelines for school buildings (2015). Third, the IAQ, which was ~1100 ppm carbon dioxide (CO2), as a proxy for IAQ, was improved to CO2 concentrations under 800 ppm, meeting quality class A in both conditions. Students’ perceptions were measured during seven campaigns with a questionnaire; their actual cognitive and short-term academic performances were evaluated with validated tests and an academic test, composed by the lecturer, as a subject-matter-expert on the taught topic, covered subjects discussed during the lecture. From 201 students 527 responses were collected and analyzed. A reduced RT in combination with raised HI improved students’ perceptions of the lighting environment, internal responses, and quality of learning. However, this experimental condition negatively influenced students’ ability to solve problems, while students' content-related test scores were not influenced. This shows that although quality class A conditions for RT and HI improved students’ perceptions, it did not influence their short-term academic performance. Furthermore, the benefits of reduced RT in combination with raised HI were not observed in improved IAQ conditions. Whether the sequential order of the experimental conditions is relevant in inducing these effects and/or whether improving two parameters is already beneficial, is unknownFinally, a qualitative case study explored lecturers’ and students’ perceptions of the IEQ of classrooms, which are suitable to give tutorials with a maximum capacity of about 30 students. Furthermore, how lecturers and students interact with this indoor environment to maintain an acceptable IEQ was examined. Eleven lecturers of the Hanze University of Applied Sciences (UAS), located in the northern part of the Netherlands, and twenty-four of its students participated in three focus group discussions. The findings show that lecturers and students experience poor thermal, lighting, acoustic, and IAQ conditions which may influence teaching and learning performance. Furthermore, maintaining acceptable thermal and IAQ conditions was difficult for lecturers as opening windows or doors caused noise disturbances. In uncomfortable conditions, lecturers may decide to pause earlier or shorten a lecture. When students experienced discomfort, it may affect their ability to concentrate, their emotional status, and their quality of learning. Acceptable air and thermal conditions in classrooms will mitigate the need to open windows and doors. This allows lecturers to keep doors and windows closed, combining better classroom conditions with neither noise disturbances nor related distractions. Designers and engineers should take these end users’ perceptions into account, often monitored by facility management (FM), during the renovation or construction of university buildings to achieve optimal IEQ conditions in higher education classrooms.The results of these four studies indicate that there is not a one-size fits all indoor environmental quality to facilitate optimal in-class activities. Classrooms’ thermal environment should be effectively controlled with the option of a local (manual) intervention. Classrooms’ lighting conditions should also be adjustable, both in light color and light intensity. This enables lecturers to adjust the indoor environment to facilitate in-class activities optimally. Lecturers must be informed by the building operator, for example, professionals of the Facility Department, how to change classrooms’ IEQ settings. And this may differ per classroom because each building, in which the classroom is located, is operated differently apart from the classroom location in the building, exposure to the environment, and its use. The knowledge that has come available from this study, shows that optimal indoor environmental conditions can positively influence lecturers’ and students’ comfort, health, emotional balance, and performance. These outcomes have the capacity to contribute to an improved school climate and thus academic achievement.
In societies where physical activity levels are declining, stimulating sports participation in youth is vital. While sports offer numerous benefits, injuries in youth are at an all-time high with potential long-term consequences. Particularly, women football's popularity surge has led to a rise in knee injuries, notably anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, with severe long-term effects. Urgent societal attention is warranted, supported by media coverage and calls for action by professional players. This project aims to evaluate the potential of novel artificial intelligence-based technology to enhance player monitoring for injury risk, and to integrate these monitoring pathways into regular training practice. Its success may pave the way for broader applications across different sports and injuries. Implementation of results from lab-based research into practice is hindered by the lack of skills and technology needed to perform the required measurements. There is a critical need for non-invasive systems used during regular training practice and allowing longitudinal monitoring. Markerless motion capture technology has recently been developed and has created new potential for field-based data collection in sport settings. This technology eliminates the need for marker/sensor placement on the participant and can be employed on-site, capturing movement patterns during training. Since a common AI algorithm for data processing is used, minimal technical knowledge by the operator is required. The experienced PLAYSAFE consortium will exploit this technology to monitor 300 young female football players over the course of 1 season. The successful implementation of non-invasive monitoring of football players’ movement patterns during regular practice is the primary objective of this project. In addition, the study will generate key insights into risk factors associated with ACL injury. Through this approach, PLAYSAFE aims to reduce the burden of ACL injuries in female football players.
