Abstract
Background and Objectives: Early detection of cognitive impairment is crucial for timely clinical interventions aimed at delaying progression to dementia. However, existing screening tools are not ideal for wide population screening. This study explores the potential of combining machine learning, specifically, one-class classification, with simpler and quicker motor-cognitive tasks to improve the early detection of cognitive impairment. Methods: We gathered data on gait, fingertapping, cognitive, and dual tasks from older adults with mild cognitive impairment and healthy controls. Using one-class classification, we modeled the behavior of the majority group (healthy controls), identifying deviations from this behavior as abnormal. To account for confounding effects, we integrated confound regression into the classification pipeline. We evaluated the performance of individual tasks, as well as the combination of features (early fusion) and models (late fusion). Additionally, we compared the results with those from two-class classification and a standard cognitive screening test. Results: We analyzed data from 37 healthy controls and 16 individuals with mild cognitive impairment. Results revealed that one-class classification had higher predictive accuracy for mild cognitive impairment, whereas two-class classification performed better in identifying healthy controls. Gait features yielded the best results for one-class classification. Combining individual models led to better performance than combining features from the different tasks. Notably, the one-class majority voting approach exhibited a sensitivity of 87.5% and a specificity of 75.7%, suggesting it may serve as a potential alternative to the standard cognitive screening test. In contrast, the two-class majority voting failed to improve the low sensitivities achieved by the individual models due to the underrepresentation of the impaired group. Conclusion: Our preliminary results support the use of one-class classification with confound control to detect abnormal patterns of gait, fingertapping, cognitive, and dual tasks, to improve the early detection of cognitive impairment. Further research is necessary to substantiate the method's effectiveness in broader clinical settings.

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.