Reliability of the Stryd Accelerometer on an Incline and Decline

Modern technology has evolved to include various health and fitness trackers to help the general population become more aware of their physical wellbeing. However, the reliability of these technologies is not well-established. PURPOSE: Determine the reliability of Stryd accelerometer during trail running. METHODS: Seventeen participants (25 ± 9 years; F = 7) completed a trail run. Each participant was fitted with one Stryd accelerometer (model 25; Stryd, Boulder, CO 80301) on the shoe of each foot, and both devices were started simultaneously. The participant then did a self-paced out and back run on a moderate difficulty hiking trail. The trail began at approximately 6000 feet elevation and climbed approximately 200 feet/mile. After ten minutes of running up the trail, the participant turned around and returned on the same trail. Upon finishing the run, the Stryd accelerometers were stopped simultaneously. Data collected by Stryd sensors includes distance, altitude, speed, power, form power, cadence, vertical oscillation, and leg stiffness. These Stryd data were exported to csv files. We divided the data into uphill and downhill phases of the run based on the peak elevation achieved and found the average and peak values for uphill and downhill phases of the run. We calculated the within-subjects coefficient of variation for each measure during downhill and uphill trail running. RESULTS: Of the mentioned variables, six were considered reliable-each with a CV less than 0.1-and three were considered unreliable-with a CV of over 0.1. The least reliable measures were form power (uphill: CV=0.124; downhill: CV=0.126) and power (uphill: CV=0.132; downhill: CV=0.135). The most reliable measures were cadence (uphill: CV=0.002; downhill: CV=0.005) and altitude (uphill: CV=0.004; downhill: 0.004). CONCLUSION: As the majority of the measures were statistically reliable, the Stryd accelerometer can be considered reliable. However, the power measures were the least reliable. This finding is important because Stryd advertises the ability to track training intensity based on power output. If this data is unreliable in outdoor locations Stryd may provide inaccurate training advice. Based on our findings tracking outdoor run intensity based on Stryd power may provide inconsistent results

Urban park use during the COVID-19 pandemic:Are socially vulnerable communities disproportionately impacted?

The COVID-19 pandemic altered human behavior around the world. To maintain mental and physical health during periods of lockdown and quarantine, people often engaged in outdoor, physically distanced activities such as visits to parks and greenspace. However, research tracking outdoor recreation patterns during the pandemic has yielded inconsistent results, and few studies have explored the impacts of COVID-19 on park use across diverse neighborhoods. We used a mixed methods approach to examine changes in park use patterns in cities across North Carolina, USA, during the COVID-19 pandemic, with an emphasis on impacts in socially vulnerable communities (based on racial/ethnic composition and socioeconomic status). First, we surveyed a demographically representative sample of 611 urban residents during August 2020 to assess their use of outdoor park spaces before and during the pandemic. Second, we used cell phone location (i.e., geo-tracking) data to document changes in park visits within 605 socioeconomically diverse urban census tracts before (July 2019) and during (July 2020) the pandemic. Data from both methods revealed urban park use declined during the pandemic; 56% of survey respondents said they stopped or reduced park use, and geo-tracked park visits dropped by 15%. Park users also became more homogenous, with visits increasing the most for past park visitors and declining the most in socially vulnerable communities and among individuals who were BIPOC or lower-income. Our results raise concerns about urban park use during the COVID-19 pandemic and suggest pre-existing health disparities in socially vulnerable communities might be exacerbated by inequitable access and utilization of parks and greenspace

Real-Time Estimation of Illumination Direction for Augmented Reality with Low-Cost Sensors

In recent years, Augmented Reality has become a very popular topic, both as a research and commercial field. This trend has originated with the use of mobile devices as computational core and display. The appearance of virtual objects and their interaction with the real world is a key element in the success of an Augmented Reality software. A common issue in this type of software is the visual inconsistency between the virtual and real objects due to wrong illumination. Although illumination is a common research topic in Computer Graphics, few studies have been made about real time estimation of illumination direction. In this work we present a low-cost approach to detect the direction of the environment illumination, allowing the illumination of virtual objects according to the real light of the ambient, improving the integration of the scene. Our solution is open-source, based on Arduino hardware and the presented system was developed on Android.XIV Workshop Computación Gráfica, Imágenes y Visualización (WCGIV).Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Real-Time Estimation of Illumination Direction for Augmented Reality with Low-Cost Sensors

In recent years, Augmented Reality has become a very popular topic, both as a research and commercial field. This trend has originated with the use of mobile devices as computational core and display. The appearance of virtual objects and their interaction with the real world is a key element in the success of an Augmented Reality software. A common issue in this type of software is the visual inconsistency between the virtual and real objects due to wrong illumination. Although illumination is a common research topic in Computer Graphics, few studies have been made about real time estimation of illumination direction. In this work we present a low-cost approach to detect the direction of the environment illumination, allowing the illumination of virtual objects according to the real light of the ambient, improving the integration of the scene. Our solution is open-source, based on Arduino hardware and the presented system was developed on Android.XIV Workshop Computación Gráfica, Imágenes y Visualización (WCGIV).Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

To Gamify or Not to Gamify? Gamification in Exercise Applications and Its Role in Impacting Exercise Motivation

Gamification and different exercise applications have become increasingly popular in recent years. The common purpose of gamification is to enhance one’s motivation and engagement to certain activities. Gamification has been commonly understood as the use of game elements in non-game context. In this paper, we propose a divide between the process and the experience of gamification. This paper is the first to propose such division and the results demonstrate its necessity. Gamification exists also in many exercise applications. The purpose of this study is to explore how the use of an exercise application affects users’ exercise motivation and behaviour by concentrating especially on the role of gamification in terms of these effects. Empirically, the study is based on 11 qualitative interviews. The results show that the use of an exercise application can enhance the awareness of one’s physical activity and progress, and in many cases it can also increase one’s motivation to be physically active. Gamification is found to have potential impact on exercise motivation, although individual differences occur

Global positioning system: a new opportunity in physical activity measurement

Accurate measurement of physical activity is a pre-requisite to monitor population physical activity levels and design effective interventions. Global Positioning System (GPS) technology offers potential to improve the measurement of physical activity. This paper 1) reviews the extant literature on the application of GPS to monitor human movement, with a particular emphasis on free-living physical activity, 2) discusses issues associated with GPS use, and 3) provides recommendations for future research. Overall findings show that GPS is a useful tool to augment our understanding of physical activity by providing the context (location) of the activity and used together with Geographical Information Systems can provide some insight into how people interact with the environment. However, no studies have shown that GPS alone is a reliable and valid measure of physical activity

Sustainability of Ageing Hospital Environment through Revitalization of Landscape Design

In early days, the concept of provision of healthcare facilities were borne out of needs only, but recently they are based on needs, eligibility and ability in carrying of socio-economic functions to the community- being environmental friendly, providing environmental psychological-therapy, adding value and attracting economic benefits. Healthcare providers are now aware of the new trends in ensuring sustainability– involving modifications in design programmes of infrastructure developments. Mother of Christ Specialist Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria, an aged-long healthcare facility in the country is a case study. Due to environmental dilapidation, degradation and neglect of the hospital as regards its age and present status in meeting the needs of environmental demands, the scenario portrays dehumanized environment - disorderly and untidy informal activities within the courtyards and surrounding open spaces; which possibly is putting people in the worst frame of mind. The study aims at a design of outdoor spaces that entails understanding the problems, and evolving solutions in respective areas- capturing human values, creation of comfortable and familiar environment that people can enjoy. The proposal was achieved by making the design solution valid for all groups involved- stemming the design goals from analysis of the needs ,desires and values of the would be users by adopting problem oriented-approach, and applying  unobtrusive measures in conjunction with other methods. The forms of each courtyards and surrounding open spaces within the buildings and beyond with their informal activities generated the form of the landscape design solution; resulting in the setup of consistent aesthetic and plan form of which their requirements fell happily into freer forms which were not forced. Thus, the design presents inviting, welcoming and cheerful scenario that people can go or stay as they wish. Keywords: Sustainability, Ageing, Hospital, Revitalization and Landscape Design