Human-in-the-loop optimization of wearable device parameters using an EMG-based objective function.

Advancements in wearable robots aim to improve user motion, motor control, and overall experience by minimizing energetic cost (EC). However, EC is challenging to measure and it is typically indirectly estimated through respiratory gas analysis. This study introduces a novel EMG-based objective function that captures individuals' natural energetic expenditure during walking.

Exploring Near- and Far-Field Effects in Photoplethysmography Signals Across Different Source-Detector Distances.

Photoplethysmography is a widely used optical technique to extract physiological information non-invasively. Despite its large use and adoption, multiple factors influence the signal shape and quality, including the instrumentation used. This work analyzes the variability of the DC component of the PPG signal at three source-detector distances (6 mm, 9 mm, and 12 mm) using green, red, and infrared light and four photodiodes per distance.

Association Between Inter-Limb Asymmetry and Determinants of Middle- and Long-distance Running Performance in Healthy Populations: A Systematic Review.

Background: The presence of inter-limb asymmetry in the human body has traditionally been perceived to be detrimental for athletic performance. However, a systematic review addressing and comprehensively assessing the association of asymmetry between the lower limbs and middle- and long-distance running performance-related metrics is currently lacking.

Objective: The main purpose of this systematic review was to examine the relationship between lower inter-limb asymmetry and determinants of running performance in healthy middle- and long-distance runners.

Gender differences in the use of an upper-extremity exoskeleton during physically and cognitively demanding tasks- a study protocol for a randomized experimental trial.

Background: Upper limb exoskeletons are recommended to alleviate muscle fatigue, particularly in working conditions inducing musculoskeletal discomfort like overhead work. However, wearing an exoskeleton might introduce cognitive-motor interference, affecting performance. Understanding its neural impact and potential gender differences in design effects is crucial.

Gender Differences in Performing an Overhead Drilling Task Using an Exoskeleton-A Cross-Sectional Study.

(1) Exoskeletons offer potential benefits for overhead working tasks, but gender effects or differences are unclear. This study aimed to compare the performance as well as subjective body strain and comfort of men and women using an upper-body exoskeleton. (2) n = 20 female and n = 16 male participants performed an overhead drilling task with and without a passive upper-body exoskeleton in a randomized cross-over study.

A shared robot control system combining augmented reality and motor imagery brain-computer interfaces with eye tracking.

: Brain-computer interface (BCI) control systems monitor neural activity to detect the user's intentions, enabling device control through mental imagery. Despite their potential, decoding neural activity in real-world conditions poses significant challenges, making BCIs currently impractical compared to traditional interaction methods. This study introduces a novel motor imagery (MI) BCI control strategy for operating a physically assistive robotic arm, addressing the difficulties of MI decoding from electroencephalogram (EEG) signals, which are inherently non-stationary and vary across individuals.

Backyard running: Pushing the boundaries of human performance.

Ultrarunning is gaining in popularity but no information is available on the physiological and psychological responses during backyard ultrarunning events. The aim of this study was to determine changes in cognitive function, markers of physiological resilience, and running performance during a backyard-running event. Twelve male ultrarunners (38 ± 8 years old, BMI: 23.

The interplay of brain neurotransmission and mental fatigue: A research protocol.

Introduction: Mental fatigue (MF) significantly affects both cognitive and physical performance. However, the precise mechanisms, particularly concerning neurotransmission, require further investigation. An implication of the role of dopamine (DA) and noradrenaline (NA) is stated, but empirical evidence for this theory still needs to be provided.

User Evaluation of a Shared Robot Control System Combining BCI and Eye Tracking in a Portable Augmented Reality User Interface.

This study evaluates an innovative control approach to assistive robotics by integrating brain-computer interface (BCI) technology and eye tracking into a shared control system for a mobile augmented reality user interface. Aimed at enhancing the autonomy of individuals with physical disabilities, particularly those with impaired motor function due to conditions such as stroke, the system utilizes BCI to interpret user intentions from electroencephalography signals and eye tracking to identify the object of focus, thus refining control commands. This integration seeks to create a more intuitive and responsive assistive robot control strategy.

Variation in insect herbivory across an urbanization gradient: The role of abiotic factors and leaf secondary metabolites.

Urbanization impacts plant-herbivore interactions, which are crucial for ecosystem functions such as carbon sequestration and nutrient cycling. While some studies have reported reductions in insect herbivory in urban areas (relative to rural or natural forests), this trend is not consistent and the underlying causes for such variation remain unclear. We conducted a continental-scale study on insect herbivory along urbanization gradients for three European tree species: Quercus robur, Tilia cordata, and Fraxinus excelsior, and further investigated their biotic and abiotic correlates to get at mechanisms.

Evaluating the real-world usability of BCI control systems with augmented reality: a user study protocol.

Brain-computer interfaces (BCI) enable users to control devices through their brain activity. Motor imagery (MI), the neural activity resulting from an individual imagining performing a movement, is a common control paradigm. This study introduces a user-centric evaluation protocol for assessing the performance and user experience of an MI-based BCI control system utilizing augmented reality.

Supplementation Strategies for Strength and Power Athletes: Carbohydrate, Protein, and Amino Acid Ingestion.

It is a common belief amongst strength and power athletes that nutritional supplementation strategies aid recovery by shifting the anabolic/catabolic profile toward anabolism. Factors such as nutrient quantity, nutrient quality, and nutrient timing significantly impact upon the effectiveness of nutritional strategies in optimizing the acute responses to resistance exercise and the adaptive response to resistance training (i.e.

Prefrontal cortex oxygenation during a mentally fatiguing task in normoxia and hypoxia.

Mental fatigue (MF) and hypoxia impair cognitive performance through changes in brain hemodynamics. We want to elucidate the role of prefrontal cortex (PFC)-oxygenation in MF. Twelve participants (22.

Electrophysiological impact of mental fatigue on brain activity during a bike task: A wavelet analysis approach.

This study explored how mental fatigue affects brain activity during a low-intensity bike task utilising a continuous wavelet transformation in electroencephalography (EEG) analysis. The aim was to examine changes in brain activity potentially linked to central motor commands and to investigate their relationship with ratings of perceived exertion (RPE). In this study, sixteen participants (age: 21 ± 6 y, 7 females, 9 males) underwent one familiarization and two experimental trials in a randomised, blinded, cross-over study design.

Human-Prosthetic Interaction (HumanIT): A study protocol for a clinical trial evaluating brain neuroplasticity and functional performance after lower limb loss.

Background: Lower limb amputation contributes to structural and functional brain alterations, adversely affecting gait, balance, and overall quality of life. Therefore, selecting an appropriate prosthetic ankle is critical in enhancing the well-being of these individuals. Despite the availability of various prostheses, their impact on brain neuroplasticity remains poorly understood.

Evaluating cognitive and physical work performance: A comparative study of an active and passive industrial back-support exoskeleton.

Occupational back-support exoskeletons, categorized as active or passive, hold promise for mitigating work-related musculoskeletal disorders. However, their impact on combined physical and cognitive aspects of industrial work performance remains inadequately understood, especially regarding potential differences between exoskeleton categories. A randomized, counterbalanced cross-over study was conducted, comparing the active CrayX, passive Paexo Back, and a no exoskeleton condition.

Test-retest, intra- and inter-rater reliability of the reactive balance test in patients with chronic ankle instability.

Introduction: The Reactive Balance Test (RBT) could be a valuable addition to research on chronic ankle instability (CAI) and clinical practice, but before it can be used in clinical practice it needs to be reliable. It has already been proven reliable in healthy recreational athletes, but not yet in patients with CAI who have shown persistent deficits in dynamic balance. The study aimed to determine the test-retest, intra-, and inter-rater reliability of the RBT in patients with CAI, and the test-retest and inter-rater reliability of the newly developed RBT score sheet.

Trade-offs in biodiversity and ecosystem services between edges and interiors in European forests.

Forest biodiversity and ecosystem services are hitherto predominantly quantified in forest interiors, well away from edges. However, these edges also represent a substantial proportion of the global forest cover. Here we quantified plant biodiversity and ecosystem service indicators in 225 plots along forest edge-to-interior transects across Europe.

Using warming tolerances to predict understory plant responses to climate change.

Climate change is pushing species towards and potentially beyond their critical thermal limits. The extent to which species can cope with temperatures exceeding their critical thermal limits is still uncertain. To better assess species' responses to warming, we compute the warming tolerance (ΔT ) as a thermal vulnerability index, using species' upper thermal limits (the temperature at the warm limit of their distribution range) minus the local habitat temperature actually experienced at a given location.

Deficits in neurocognitive performance in patients with chronic ankle instability during a neurocognitive balance task - A retrospective case-control study.

Objectives: To assess the neurocognitive performance while maintaining balance of patients experiencing CAI compared to healthy controls. In patients with CAI, the affected limb was also compared to the contralateral limb.

Design: A retrospective case-control study.

Forest understorey flowering phenology responses to experimental warming and illumination.

Species are altering their phenology to track warming temperatures. In forests, understorey plants experience tree canopy shading resulting in light and temperature conditions, which strongly deviate from open habitats. Yet, little is known about understorey phenology responses to forest microclimates.

The Dynamic Adoption Journey: A Typology for Users and Non-Users of Occupational Exoskeletons.

Various barriers prevent the adoption of occupational exoskeletons. It is therefore important to understand why some people are willing to use occupational exoskeletons, while others are not. To identify why people use or do not use exoskeletons, we created a typology describing different types of users and non-users.

Does a Soft Actuated Back Exosuit Influence Multimodal Physiological Measurements and User Perception During an Industry Inspired Task?

Back support soft exosuits are promising solutions to reduce risk of musculoskeletal injuries at workplaces resulting from physically demanding and repetitive lifting tasks. Design of novel active exosuits address the impact on the muscle activity and metabolic costs but do not consider other critical aspects such as comfort and user perception during the intended tasks. Thus, in this study, we describe a novel soft active exosuit in line with its impact on physiological and subjective measures during lifting.

An EMG-Based Objective Function for Human-in-the-Loop Optimization.

Advancements in wearable robots aim to improve the users' motion, performance, and comfort by optimizing, mainly, energetic cost (EC). However, EC is a noisy measurement with a physiological delayed response that requires long evaluation periods and wearing an uncomfortable mask. This study aims to estimate and minimize an EMG-based objective function that describes the natural energetic expenditure of individuals walking.