A smartphone-based multi-sensor wireless platform for cycling performance monitoring

In recent years there has been a significant evolution regarding applications for mobile devices that provide location-based services. The mobile devices available on the market already provide a set of integrated sensors and it is also possible to acquire data from external sensors. This chapter presents the development and results concerning a mobile sensing platform applied to cycling which performs data collection using both sensors integrated in the smartphone and multiple wireless sensor nodes, which are used to acquire relevant performance parameters. The data collected by the developed mobile app is stored in a local database and also uploaded to a remote database, where it can be accessed later using the mobile app or a web browser. This mobile app allows users to share data with friends, join or create events, locate friends, consult graphs and access past routes in a map. Based on these functionalities, this system aims to provide detailed feedback regarding the user performance and enhance the enjoyment of the cyclists.This work has been supported by FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia) in the scope of the project: UID/EEA/04436/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Analysis of some Mobile Applications for Cycling

This article analyzes some available bike mobile applications as an alternative to bike computers, as known as cycle computers or speedometers or speed sensors. We have stored a lot of datasets recorded from different mountain bike routes; in this study, we analyzed two routes only. Most mobile cycling applications estimate fields such as speed, heading, slope, distance, VMG (Velocity Made Good) and pace (cadence). However, it is necessary to calculate the relationship between cadence and power in pedaling so that cyclists know the appropriate moment to apply force to their legs to improve the torque. We studied four cycling apps and one bike computer. The contribution of this paper lies in the fact that it reports and compares measurements of cycling workouts using four mobile applications for cycling, at the same time these measurements are compared against a speedometer; the differences in distance and speed between the mobile apps used in this study are slightly notorious. We also show comparative tables and graphs, and performance evaluation of biking routes in two different bike routes

Wireless body area network for cycling posture monitoring

This work presents the design and implementation of a wireless body area network based on Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) which enables the integration of multiple sensor nodes into a smartphone-based system in order to monitor the posture of cyclists. The wireless posture monitoring system presented in this chapter obtains the orientation in space of each body segment in which the sensor nodes are placed and calculates the trunk angle, the knee angle and the angle of inclination of the road. This system collects raw sensor data from accelerometers, magnetometers and gyroscopes and sends the data via BLE to an Android smartphone, which plays the role of central station and performs the data processing concerning the posture calculation. This chapter describes the development of the hardware and software of the sensor nodes, which are based on the CC2540 BLE system-on-chip, as well as the development of the Android application. Experimental results concerning the measurement of the posture of a cyclist are provided in order to validate the implementation.This work has been supported by FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia) in the scope of the project: UID/EEA/04436/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Implementation of participatory sensing approach in mobile vehicle based sensor networks

In this paper author describes his research with the goal to develop and experimentally verify specific data recording and processing methodologies based on participatory sensing approach implementation in mobile vehicle based sensor networks. To reach this goal, author performed study of literature, testing of hypothesis using general purpose computer devices, adaptation of smartphones for participatory sensing, development of special purpose embedded devices, practical experiments with selected technical equipment and software as well as gathering of experimental results and following statistical analysis. The result of this research are several data acquisition and processing methodologies based on participatory sensing approach and mobile vehicle based sensor networks as well as evaluation of these methodologies

Mobile sensing system for cycling power output control

This paper describes the development of a novel cycling effort control sys-tem that contributes to promote the users’ physical health and mobility. This system controls the motor assistance level of an electric bicycle in order to ensure that the cyclist’s power output remains inside the desired limits, regardless of changes in variables such as the speed of the bicycle or the slope of the terrain. The power output is monitored using a sensor device that provides raw torque and cadence data, whereas a smartphone application processes these data, implements the effort control algorithm and provides the user interface. Modules on the bicycle handle the data acquisition, wire-less communication with the smartphone and driving of the motor assis-tance level. Experimental results validate the effectiveness of the imple-mented power output control system.This work is supported by FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia) with the reference project UID/EEA/04436/2013, and by FEDER funds through the COMPETE 2020 – Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI) with the reference project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006941

The perspective of cyclists on current practices with digital tools and envisioned services for urban cycling

This is a preprint version of an accepted manuscript in WorldCist'21 -9th World Conference on Information Systems and TechnologiesAs cycling becomes increasingly important in sustainable mobility policies, there is also an urge for new digital applications and services for urban cycling. This new generation of cycling applications should be able to connect cyclists with their local cycling ecosystem, promote cycling, and empower cyclists to become active agents of urban mobility. In this work, we aim to explore the new opportunity space of digital tools and applications designed specifically for urban cycling. We pursue this goal by trying to uncover current practices associated with digital tools that are already available and also by trying to uncover new information needs, even those that cyclists are not yet able to fully express. To explore these topics, we conducted 2 focus group sessions and 10 interviews with cyclists. The result is a set of design opportunities for the development of new applications, tools and methods for improving the cycling experience in the context of urban mobility. We expect this contribution might help to better define the design space of innovative digital tools for urban cyclists.This work is supported by: European Structural and Investment Funds in the FEDER component, through the Operational Competitiveness and Internationalization Programme (COMPETE 2020) [Project nº 039334; Funding Reference: POCI-01-0247- FEDER-039334

On the Implications of Sense of Control over Bicycling : Design of a Physical Stamina-Aware Bike

Bicycling has become a mainstream activity among the environmental aware generation. Bicycling communities have gradually shown interests in quantitative data of the bicycling experiences such as road roughness, inclination, pollution, etc. Bikers utilize these data to infer the possible stamina cost and quality of surroundings. This supports them to make a better decision. This study assumes that fitness level indexed by stamina cost could enhance a biker's sense of control. The prototype in this paper was developed to provide stamina cost information, which is inferred from the terrain patterns of a biking route. In the system evaluation, participants took a positive attitude toward this prototype and approved the importance of stamina cost feedback. This paper also concluded several key issues about designing the stamina cost feedback system for bikers

A Deployment of Fine-Grained Sensor Network and Empirical Analysis of Urban Temperature

Temperature in an urban area exhibits a complicated pattern due to complexity of infrastructure. Despite geographical proximity, structures of a group of buildings and streets affect changes in temperature. To investigate the pattern of fine-grained distribution of temperature, we installed a densely distributed sensor network called UScan. In this paper, we describe the system architecture of UScan as well as experience learned from installing 200 sensors in downtown Tokyo. The field experiment of UScan system operated for two months to collect long-term urban temperature data. To analyze the collected data in an efficient manner, we propose a lightweight clustering methodology to study the correlation between the pattern of temperature and various environmental factors including the amount of sunshine, the width of streets, and the existence of trees. The analysis reveals meaningful results and asserts the necessity of fine-grained deployment of sensors in an urban area