Apr 12, 2019 - Estimating competitive rowing kinematic metrics: An undergraduate sports biomechanics research project

rowing kinematics biomechanics sports

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Jason Moore

10:10 am
322 Fryklund Hall

Abstract

Competitive rowing highly values boat position and velocity data for real-time feedback during training, racing and post-training analysis. The ubiquity of smartphones with embedded position (GPS) and motion (accelerometer) sensors motivates their possible use in these tasks. In this project, we investigate the use of two real-time digital filters to achieve highly accurate but reasonably priced measures of boat speed and distance traveled. Both filters combine acceleration and location data to estimate boat distance and speed; the first using a complementary frequency response-based filter technique, the second with a Kalman filter formalism that includes adaptive, real-time estimates of effective accelerometer bias. The estimates of distance and speed from both filters were validated and compared with accurate reference data from a 10 Hz differential GPS system with better than 1 cm precision, in experiments using two subjects (an experienced club-level rower and an elite rower) in two different boats on a 300 m course. Relative to single channel (smartphone GPS only) measures of distance and speed, the complementary filter improved the accuracy and precision of boat speed, boat distance traveled, and distance per stroke by 44%, 42%, and 73%, respectively, while the Kalman filter improved the accuracy and precision of boat speed and distance per stroke by 51% and 72%, respectively. Both filters demonstrate promise as general purpose methods to substantially improve estimates of important rowing performance metrics.

Bio

Jason K. Moore is an assistant teaching professor in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department at the University of California, Davis. He leads the Laboratorium of Marvelous Mechanical Motum and teaches courses in dynamics and mechanical design. He completed postdoctoral research on the control of lower limb exoskeletons in Ton van den Bogert’s Human Motion and Control Laboratory at Cleveland State University in 2015. He received both his PhD ‘12 and MSc ‘07 under Mont Hubbard and Ron Hess on the research topic “Human Control of a Bicycle”. He is a 2008 Fulbright Scholar to the Netherlands where he worked in Arend Schwab’s Bicycle Dynamics Laboratory at Delft University of Technology. His 2004 Mechanical Engineering BSc is from Old Dominion University. He is currently active in the scientific Python computing, open science, biomechanics, vehicle dynamics, and open educational resources communities.

Lecture archive

Apr 5, 2019 - Modern Electronics Design Services

electronics design entrepreneurship

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Adam Wolf

10:10 am
322 Fryklund Hall

Abstract

The barriers to creating electronics have never been lower. With a computer, an internet connection, a credit card, and a few hundred bucks, anyone can get started creating electronics. Business folks want electronics in everything, but they don’t necessarily want to staff engineers. This creates a market opportunity for designing electronics at a very small organizational scale–even as a “side hustle”! In this talk, we discuss modern electronics design services, changes over the past ten years, and look to the future.

Bio

Adam Wolf works at an electronics design services company and is a cofounder and engineer of Wayne and Layne, a company that makes Open Source Hardware electronics and museum exhibits.

Lecture archive

Mar 22, 2019 - Quantitative vs & Qualitative – The balance of identifying the right solution

design product development qualitative quantitative

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10:10 am
322 Fryklund Hall

Abstract

Product development is often seen and demonstrated in a clear, linear, clean process, with the mythical one right solution that wins out at the end. However, truth be told – product development isn’t always clean and easy, and sometimes the consumer experience does not match data. With the development process both qualitative and quantitative analysis plays important and sometimes counterintuitive roles in the process. Within this talk we will learn how Industrial Designers and Engineers balance the need and usage of qualitative and quantitative testing tools in order to achieve the final solution.

Bio

Katie Thompson

Katie Thompson is the Industrial Design Manager at Quality Bicycle Products in Bloomington, MN and a 2007 UW-Stout graduate. Katie has spent over the last decade working in Product Development on a diverse set of product types ranging from medical, architectural lighting, consumer electronics, to spending the last seven years merging personal passion with profession within the bicycle industry.

Luke Strauss

Luke Strauss is the Engineering Manager at Quality Bicycle Products (QBP) in Bloomington, MN. He holds a Masters from Cornell University (2011) and a Bachelors from Middlebury College (2007). Prior to joining QBP in 2014, Luke has engineered products in the automotive, energy-utility, and environmental remediation industries.

Lecture archive

*Katie Thompson was unable to present due to an unexpected work issue.