Abstract
This study presents and applies time delay analysis of maximum cross-correlation between quadriceps and gastrocnemius sEMG neuromuscular control with lower limb joint angular coordination of the hip, the knee and the ankle joint angles, angular velocities and accelerations to assess long countermovement (CM) and stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) at countermovement jump (CMJ), short CM and SSC on drop jump (DJ), and no CM on squat jump (SJ), with different and shared features at each CM complementing functional anatomy analysis. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Abstract
There is currently a lack of objective, quantifiable metrics to evaluate children's health and athletic performance during Physical Education classes. To address this gap, the TexP@ct Consortium is developing a Smart Vest for Physical Education (SV4PE)-a textile engineered wearable solution that integrates a single triaxial Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and electrocardiogram (ECG) sensors, embedded at the T8 spinal level. Designed for comfortable and unobtrusive use, the SV4PE enables recording and analysis of biomechanical and physiological data during physical activity. This paper presents the preliminary system validation and algorithm development for the SV4PE system, detailing the sensor fusion and signal processing methods used to extract metrics from live and recorded data, along with results from experimental and prototype datasets. The algorithms designed measure an athlete's heart rate, movement intensity, and effort, with additional post-exercise metrics to characterize fundamental movements such as walking, running, and jumping. Sensor fusion packages were implemented, combining acceleration and angular velocity, to correct sensor drifts and remove gravity components. Following filtering and resampling, walking and running metrics, such as cadence, distance and velocity, are extracted through gait event identification, using wavelet transforms. Jumping characteristics are derived from vertical acceleration using projectile motion equations to estimate jump height, take-off force, and power output. Lastly, heart rate is calculated from QRS peak detection in the ECG signal, and associated with subject metadata to evaluate exercise intensity and effort levels. Additional algorithms are under-development to assess fitness tests (e.g., mile run, shuttle run, push-ups, etc.), for team sport motion classification using machine learning, and for player localization within a playfield for detailed performance analysis. Ultimately, this work seeks to provide teachers and trainers with practical tools to objectively monitor and assess children's performance during sports and physical activities.

Abstract

Abstract
This study explores the design, fabrication, and electromechanical characterization of thermoformed tubular Teflon piezoelectrets for force measurement applications. Piezoelectrets, a subclass of electrets, leverage engineered dipole configurations within charged internal cavities to exhibit piezoelectric properties. Using fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) films, tubular structures were fabricated through thermal lamination and subsequently polarized to form highly sensitive and flexible piezoelectrets. The electrical response was characterized by controlled impact tests, sinusoidal stationary force inputs using a shaker system and an instrumented insole to evaluate the piezoelectret in a real dynamic environment. The impact test revealed that the piezoelectret exhibits a rapid response time of 20 ms with a maximum voltage amplitude of +/- 3 V. The frequency-domain analysis identified primary and secondary bandpass ranges, with peak sensitivity observed at 400 Hz. The stationary test with a shaker showed a steady sensitivity of 53.87 mV/N for signals within the 200- and 700-Hz bandwidths.

Abstract
Textile electrodes are an alternative to conventional silver-chloride electrodes in wearable systems. Their easy integration in garments and comfort provided to the user make them an interesting development of textile engineering. The potential of such electrodes to allow more unobtrusive data collection in health and sports context may enable the development of biosensing garments to be used in biomechanics. However, proper validation of the recorded signals is paramount, and few studies have yet presented consistent methodologies for textile-based electromyographic recordings. This study presents the validation of the electrical and morphological properties of electromyographic signals recorded with textile electrode, in comparison to conventional silver-chloride electrodes. Results indicate that both sets of electrodes have identical signal-to-noise ratios, but with distinct impedance frequency responses. Electromyographic envelope morphologies are also identical, although textile electrodes usually have lower amplitudes.