Sport and the Body

Seed Grant Awardee: Weiheng Xu

Anonymous — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 17:01:27 +0000

Seed Grant Awardee: Weiheng Xu

Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 09/06/2022 - 10:01

Weiheng Xu | School of Engineering

A recent study by Boston University suggests that 99 percent of the deceased National Football League (NFL) players were diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive degenerative disease that is often associated with repetitive brain trauma. Current commercialized helmet designs, such as Xenith X1, Riddell Revolution Speed, and Schutt Ion4D each offers unique protective structural models such as internal suspension system. On the other hand, academia researches focusing on efficient damping polymer-nanoparticle composites are rarely commercialized due to high cost and difficulties regarding mass manufacturing. However, this seems to be coming to an end with the advancements in additive manufacturing. It allows customized products for individuals as well as incorporating functional particles in the micro- and nano-regime. The bottom-up process also guarantees a competitive cost that meets the industrial standard. This proposal aims to investigate towards a 3D printed micro- and nano-level featured polymer substrate structure with controllable self-impregnated nanoparticles for energy damping, impact detecting, and monitoring, or drug delivery. The experimental design of the proposal is, (a) 3D printing of substrate, (b) nanoparticle self-impregnation, (c) hierarchy structure assembly with posttreatment, and (d) performance testing. Customized laser/light projection-based 3D printers (XY resolution ~ 5 micrometers) will be used to print substrates with various patterns. Through impregnation methods such as dip-coating, spin assisted, capillary force, and surface tension, nanoparticles would attach to the substrate in a self-assembling manner. Factors such as dispersion quality, nanoparticle concentration, temperature, pressure, and solvent-substrate compatibility will be studied to analyze particle-substrate interphase/interface interaction, particle alignment, loading capacity, and stability. The substrates would then be assembled with controlled geometry and void concentration to form a hierarchy porous structure to maximize damping efficiency, protecting the body from impacts. Last, the assembled structure would be integrated with current sport wears, and the nanoparticle types determine the associated functionalities. For instance, carbon nanotube/carbon black polymer composite often display piezoresistive effect, a change in electrical signal upon structural deformation. By recording the signal, the magnitude and frequency of a player is impacted in the head during games or practices can be studied. By changing the nanoparticles with drug-loaded core-shell nano-rods, the substrate can be printed with personalized site-specific shape, more efficiently covers the wounded area. Core-shell structure could control drug release rate, minimizing medical attention during the healing period, especially where surgical are needed. (388

Last Updated February 2020.

Sport and the Body

Seed Grant Awardee: Connor Sheehan

Anonymous — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 17:01:27 +0000

Seed Grant Awardee: Connor Sheehan

Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 09/06/2022 - 10:01

Connor Sheehan | The Sanford School

Sleep is critical for adolescents’ neurological development, physical health, emotional regulation, and scholastic performance (Dewald, Meijer, Oort, Kerkhof, & Bögels, 2010; Fatima, Doi, & Mamun, 2015; Shochat, Cohen-Zion, & Tzischinsky, 2014; Telzer, Goldenberg, Fuligni, Lieberman, & Gálvan, 2015). Yet, sleep problems, especially insufficient sleep, are increasingly prevalent among adolescents (Hysing, Pallesen, Stormark, Lundervold, & Sivertsen, 2013; Gradisar, Gardner, & Dohnt, 2011) as recent estimates suggest that as many as 73% of high school students currently sleeping less than the recommended amount of eight hours (Kann, 2016).

One potential intervention that could potentially reduce poor sleep of American adolescents is engagement in sports and exercise. Recent research suggests that exercising contributes to physical and mental health as well as enhances sleep quality in adolescents (Biddle & Asare, 2011; Lang et al., 2016), indicating exercise may serve as an effective intervention to improve adolescents’ sleep and health (Callaghan, 2004). Indeed, a direct association between exercise and sleep has been observed, suggesting that engaging in exercises is related to more favorable sleep in adolescents and young adults, including longer sleep time and fewer insomnia symptoms (Gerber et al., 2014; Lang et al., 2013). Participation in sports or exercise may also contribute to better sleep through indirect pathways by decreasing depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress (Buman, Hekler, Bliwise, & King, 2011; Lang et al., 2013).

While the association between exercise and sleep in adolescents is well established (e.g., Delisle, Werch, Wong, Bian, & Weiler, 2010; Gerber et al., 2014; Štefan, Krističević, & Sporiš, 2018), we plan to contribute to this literature in important ways. Our overall objective is to analyze how engagement in sports/exercise is associated with sleep among adolescents and how this may subsequently also influence sleep in early-adulthood. Unlike past research that utilizes regional samples, we will utilize a large nationally representative sample of American school students; the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, which collects detailed sports and sleep information from childhood until early adulthood. Rather than any type of exercise we will also investigate if the association varies based on engagement in specific types of sports (e.g. basketball). Given that engagement in sports/exercise and sleep quality vary across gender and race/ethnicity (Belcher et al., 2010; Kann, 2016), we will examine whether the association between exercise types and sleep varies by race/ethnicity and gender. Unlike past work, our work will also be longitudinal. Overall, we aim to provide a comprehensive documentation of how engagement in specific sports during adolescence is associated with sleep in adolescence and the transition to adulthood and how this process may unfold differently by gender and race/ethnicity.

Read the final paper from this GSI-funded project here.

Last Updated July 2021.

Sport and the Body

Seed Grant Awardee: Bradley Adame

Anonymous — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 17:01:27 +0000

Seed Grant Awardee: Bradley Adame

Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 09/06/2022 - 10:01

Bradley Adame | Hugh Downs School of Communication

Concussions represent a public health issue with consequences that reach far beyond the initial injury and affect nearly every aspect of the injured SA’s life. Typical education programs teach athletes how to recognize signs of brain injury and weakly advocate general injury mitigation strategies. These programs assume, without proof, that SAs have nuanced understanding of SHI risks and primary interest in their long-term brain health. Unfortunately, research indicates that this type of concussion education is not effective in increasing protective behavior by athletes (Kroshus et al., 2014). Two theories will guide our research design: Implicit Person Theory (IPT) and Vested Interest Theory (VIT).

IPT (Dweck, 2006) explains that a person’s receptiveness to learning is a function of a set of assumptions about a person’s own and others’ abilities. According to the theory, individuals are either entity theorists or incremental theorists. Entity theorists assume that human ability is fixed, while incremental theorists believe ability is malleable. Research indicates numerous benefits afforded to incremental theorists, including emotional and physical health. In the context of concussion reporting, we reason that incremental theorists will perceive a concussion as a temporary setback that, if undiagnosed, may impede future performance, while entity theorists may perceive that a diagnosis is unwarranted because the SA has the “natural talent” to succeed at the sport without diagnosis.

VIT describes relationships between attitudes and consonant behaviors. Defined by five variables, VIT specifies that when an individual is highly vested, their attitudes and behaviors will match. Past research has shown that VIT can be used to understand why people may not always act in their best interests. Related research has used VIT to craft messages that motivate risk aversion and self-protective behaviors (Adame & Miller, 2015).

Given the predictive power of these theories, in the first phase of this research project we aim to explore each theory’s role in shaping SAs’ concussion-reporting attitudes and behaviors. In the second phase of our research, we will apply what we learn to develop and experimentally test an intervention aimed at helping SAs assess concussion-related risk while also motivating SAs to consider what is best for their long-term head health.

● Project Purpose: To understand how SAs understand risk and consequences associated with concussions and develop and test a message to improve concussion-reporting attitudes and behaviors.

● Setting: Arizona State University and potentially other PAC-12 Universities

● Individuals Involved: Varsity and ASU Club athletes

● Method of Data Collection:
○ Surveys: 200 participants
○ Experiment: 200 participants

● Benefits offered to participants: Participants would be compensated for their time. Some participants would also receive additional concussion education in the experiment.

● Deliverables: Recommendations for organizations to revise concussion education programs so SAs can optimize their health behavior choices. Manuscripts submitted for national and international conference presentations and publication in national and international peer-reviewed journals.

● Overall Benefit: This research will provide insight into how SAs process information about concussion risk as well as their individual abilities to help Universities and similar organizations optimize risk and reward.

Last updated February 2020.

Sport and the Body

Seed Grant Awardee: Jorge Caviedes

Anonymous — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 17:01:26 +0000

Seed Grant Awardee: Jorge Caviedes

Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 09/06/2022 - 10:01

Jorge Caviedes (video) | School of Computing Informatics, and Decision Systems Engineering

In this project, we propose immersive biofeedback for spinal fitness training and rehab therapy exercise based on a 3D visualization of an athlete-specific, anatomically correct spine model that is animated by wireless sensors. The spine model is a high-end anatomical model customized with parameters obtained by a spinal surface scan and animated by signals from a wearable stretch sensor array. A real-time 3D virtual reality (VR) animation showing the effect of exercise on the spinal curve, range of motion, and progress towards the goals of the program will be shown to the athlete using lightweight AR glasses. The visualization is semi-transparent such that the viewer is fully aware of his/her surroundings while the 3D AR model is shown. The goal is to develop a working prototype of immersive biofeedback for spinal exercise and conduct pilot tests with athletes and fitness enthusiasts during exercise routines and rehab therapy. The preliminary data from such research will be essential to submit NIH and NSF grant proposals for field trials and product development.

Read the final paper from this GSI-funded project here.

Last Updates July 2021.

Sport and the Body

Seed Grant Awardee: Xiangfan Chen

Anonymous — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 17:01:26 +0000

Seed Grant Awardee: Xiangfan Chen

Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 09/06/2022 - 10:01

Xiangfan Chen | School of Engineering

Sports injuries, especially the bones and cartilages damages, pose significant challenges and require surgical intervention. Currently, tissue engineering represents a promising solution towards the repair and replacement of diseased and damaged bone tissue with engineered grafts, which can provide mechanical support during repair and regeneration of injured tissue. On the other hand, 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, it overcomes the technical hurdles to fabricate sophisticated 3D structures by successively adding materials in a layer-by-layer fashion. More importantly, it provides the flexibility to fabricate customized tissue scaffolds to meet the personalized needs regarding an individual’s health status and body type requirements. In this project, we aim to develop a new hybrid 3D printing methodology for rapid realization of hierarchical multiscale scaffolds from all-natural hybrid ceramic and silk protein biomaterials, thus, achieving functions similar to natural bones or cartilages.

First, novel biomaterials comprising silk fibroin and calcium phosphates fillers will be investigated and optimized for the new 3D printing process, referred to as micro continuous liquid interface production (µCLIP). This printing process can control the scaffolds’ structural hierarchy from the molecular scale to macro scale and do so at speeds far in excess of direct ink writing based bioprinters. Specifically, while the 3D printing process sculpts the macro and micro morphologies, the underlying photo-polymerization reaction and the post-process control the hierarchical structures deep down to the molecular scale. Collectively, we will demonstrate the ability to control the mechanical properties of 3D-printed scaffolds to achieve high stiffness and strength using lightweight silk fibroin materials.

Besides, by precisely modifying the nanoscale or molecular scale structures, this technology can tune the surface roughness and porosity of the scaffolds, which can not only significantly enhance the transportation of the tissues, cells, and fluids, but also can control the release of required growth factors or drugs for tissue regeneration. Ultimately, we aim to print lightweight, drug-eluting, biocompatible and mechanically functional scaffolds to address personalized bone/cartilage defects induced by sports injuries.

Last Updated February 2020.

Sport and the Body

Seed Grant Awardee: Robert LiKamWa

Anonymous — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 17:01:26 +0000

Seed Grant Awardee: Robert LiKamWa

Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 09/06/2022 - 10:01

Robert LiKamWa | School of Arts Media and Engineering

Individual coaching for athletes at all levels provides critical training to build the foundation for better biomechanical patterns of movement; supporting longevity, safety and effective habits that ensure success across the range of sports. Somatic modalities of movement re-education are well established training ‘technologies’ among musicians, actors and dancers - a community of people like athletes, who must practice continuously to learn and improve. Somatic awareness education is integrated into some athletic programs; greater exposure to this approach to training can create desired outcomes: skilled improvement, fewer injuries, and raised confidence - physical, mental and emotional.

Coaching must be highly individualized; physical control of a movement must be tailored to deeply habitual patterns of an individual athlete, having walked, run, or jumped in specific patterns their entire lives. We see opportunities to extend the benefits of individual coaching: (i) Observing athletic motion is difficult for the coach and the athlete. There are many parts of the body to focus on, such that close observation of any one part would ignore other aspects of a movement. (ii) Athletes are limited to coaches that are near their geographic location. This prevents accessibility of otherwise successful athlete-coach pairs. (iii) Individualized instruction only affects one athlete at a time. Other athletes can look on during an instruction for their benefit, but would be unable to observe the close movements that create safe and effective behavior.

To advance kinesthetic and spatial awareness coaching past current limitations, we propose an augmented reality system for coaches to provide feedback towards safe and effective movements. We will develop software and hardware to capture athlete movement through a depth camera on a tripod, tracking a 3d “point cloud” of an athlete’s body as it moves. Coaches will then wear a holographic headset to observe the point cloud, including walking around the point cloud for perspective. Coaches can freeze, rewind, and playback actions through an interactive visualization. This will include the ability to annotate specific body positions and movements. Athletes will visualize feedback on a nearby screen.

Read the final paper from this GSI-funded project here.

Last Updated July 2021.

Sport and the Body

Seed Grant Awardee: Mary Neubauer

Anonymous — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 17:01:26 +0000

Seed Grant Awardee: Mary Neubauer

Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 09/06/2022 - 10:01

Mary Neubauer | Herberger Institute for Design

As artists and object-makers who have both facilitated and created awards and medallions as art forms, the Neubauer/Wasson-Valle team is interested in the tradition of the individual art object as signifier for an event or achievement in an athletic tradition. We propose to investigate how artists and athletes jointly explore the history and relationship of achievement-making where the achievements pair physical objects of commemoration with intangible, yet societally valuable goals. Through this proposal, we are eager to examine the strong overlapping relationship of these seemingly far-ranging disciplines. We aim to explore the connection between sport and awards both in the traditional metallurgical foundry/forge/ fabrication modality, and also through an invitation to explore new and innovative materials and processes used in contemporary athletic awards. Through this proposed short course, we anticipate reaching a deeper understanding of the historical and modern forms of trophy and medallionmaking and their connection to, and commemoration of, the athletic experience.

We propose that Sport and Craft are counterparts to one another and especially connect to the body-centered, disciplined physical aspects required for both 3D art making and sport. We want to know where these skill-sets meet and recognize the similarities to approach and connection of subject matter where the culminating physical award is an object of achievement, recorded history, and desire.

Last Updated February 2020.

Sport and the Body

Seed Grant Awardee: Jennifer Vanos

Anonymous — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 17:01:26 +0000

Seed Grant Awardee: Jennifer Vanos

Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 09/06/2022 - 10:01

Jennifer Vanos | School of Sustainability

Air pollution concerns consistently plague the low-lying area of South Phoenix between South Mountain and the Salt River. Here, enhanced sources of pollution and topography increase local concentrations. In South Phoenix high schools, cross country and track athletes run outside with high breathing rates almost daily while in-season. Numerous scientific studies have linked particulate matter (PM) pollution to a variety of health ailments, including asthma, lung cancer, and chronic respiratory disease due to lung and vascular damage. Thus, it is no surprise that student athletes experience asthma attacks and must bring inhalers on runs, or that nearly 1,400 youth in South Phoenix were treated in emergency rooms for asthma from 2010–2016. A high breathing rate during exercise increases the total particle deposition in the lungs, yet the health benefits of regular physical activity are well-established and vital to youth health. These include reduced risk of numerous cancers, obesity, and diabetes. Moreover, sports motivate student-athletes in school, provide teamwork and leadership skills, and instill self-confidence. Hence, data and solutions are needed to avoid cancelling sports or harming health due to pollution, yet currently there is only one air quality (AQ) station in South Phoenix to aid localized decision-support related to health issues. Advances in low-cost environmental monitoring have created new opportunities for real-time, hyperlocal, community-driven sensing of AQ and weather for improved health.

We will collaborate with community groups and high schools in South Phoenix to deploy a granular network of urban AQ and temperature sensors to support athlete health. Specifically, we will partner with CHISPA Arizona, an advocacy group promoting clean, healthy air, as well as South Phoenix high schools and elementary schools, many of which have expressed interest in AQ monitoring. We will use the Clarity Node, a solar-powered air pollution sensor, to monitor hyperlocal outdoor concentrations of PM that are

Specifically, the proposed community science––co-producing data and knowledge with the schools, athletes, coaches, and advocacy groups––is expected to result in accessible, unrestricted information that can be understood and used by those who can benefit from it most: student athletes. Achieving these goals may also help improve performance in practice and competition, improve wellness, and decrease current negative impacts of outdoor sports and activity in the region.

Last Updated February 2020.

Sport and the Body

Seed Grant Awardee: Alaina Zanin

Anonymous — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 17:01:26 +0000

Seed Grant Awardee: Alaina Zanin

Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 09/06/2022 - 10:01

Alaina Zanin (video) | Hugh Downs School of Communication

There are no doubt systemic, cultural and discursive factors that create barriers for volunteer coaches in underserved communities. Our project proposes to address this community need through by (a) developing an applied non-profit internship course at ASU to develop students as empowered role models and community youth sport coaches, (b) collaborating with local youth nonprofits and schools to create new sport access sites for girls, and (c) creating an empirically-based and culturally adapted volunteer coach training course. The following outline will provide specific details of the proposed project.

Project Purposes:

1. To develop a pipeline of well-trained, empowered coach role models for girls in youth sport.

2. To fuel pedagogy innovation for coaching in girls youth sport contexts.

3. To enrich our community by creating new sport access sites for girls in Maricopa Co. and partnerships with the ASU community.

Project Setting:

- Individuals Involved: ASU students, youth sport non-profits in Maricopa Co., local schools, and local community development nonprofits

- Method of Data Collection: Mixed method approach A) Pre & Post Test Survey & Interviews of ASU Student Intern Coaches Knowledge, Communication Competence, Growth/Fixed MindsetCoaching Competence and Identity Construction B) Retrospective Journals of Critical Incidents of ASU Student Intern Coaches This student-generated data will be used to conduct a Turning Point Analysis of managing critical incidents with youth athletes in an all-girls youth sport context. A Turning Point Analysis allows researchers to track group convergence on changes as a result of the training program. Findings from this analysis will be used to inform curriculum revisions.

- Benefits offered to participants: ASU students would be compensated for their participation in the course via course credit; however participating in data collection will not be a requirement to complete the course. - Benefits offered to community: Local youth sport organizations will benefit from the recruitment of volunteer coaches, and the creation of new youth sport sites. Girls in underserved communities will have more access to youth sports and sports role models.

- Deliverables: Multiple new sport access sites for girls in Maricopa Co.Culturally adapted volunteer youth coach training curriculum Recommendations to local youth sport organizations for coach recruitment and retentionSustainable pipeline of volunteer youth coachesPeer reviewed conference presentation and publicationsPossibility of extending research for external funding

- Overall Benefit: This research will provide insight into best practices for coaching pedagogy in underserved communities, as well as offer practical solutions for increasing girls’ access to and participation in youth sport.

Video of Global Sport Institute Research - Alaina Zanin

Alaina Zanin also participated as a panelist for GSM Live: Is 2021 the Year for Women and Girls in Sport? and discussed her research on the role of sports in empowering girls' athletic identities.

Last Upated March 2021.

Sport and the Body

Seed Grant Awardee: Hyunglae Lee

Anonymous — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 17:01:26 +0000

Seed Grant Awardee: Hyunglae Lee

Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 09/06/2022 - 10:01

Hyunglae Lee (video) | School of Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy

Vision for 2036: With advancement of sensor, actuator, and control systems in footwear technology, we envision that wearing transformable smart shoes will be quite common in 2036. These shoes will have unique capabilities of (i) tracking foot-ankle mechanics in real-time during physical activities, and (ii) adaptively transforming the shape and mechanical properties of the shoes in a task-dependent manner. This innovation will allow us to achieve two paramount goals in sports activities: maximizing performance and minimizing the risk of injuries.

Objective: In the previous (2018; Phase I) and current (2019; Phase II) funding cycles of the GSI seed grant, we have successfully characterized foot-ankle mechanics during various postural balance and walking tasks (Phase I) and constructed simple yet competent biomechanics-based models (Phase II). Building upon these accomplishments, this proposal aims to design and control a soft active ankle brace that is capable of adaptively changing its mechanical properties, in particular, stiffness at the ankle joint, in a task-dependent manner (2020; Phase III).

Significance and Impact: The soft active ankle brace is an integrated sensing and actuation unit which senses the changes in foot-ankle mechanics during physical activities in real-time and actively changes the brace stiffness to support the ankle as needed. Since this unit will be a key component of the transformable smart shoes, successful completion of this research will provide the basis for the successful development of transformable smart shoes. This innovation will not only impact current best practices in footwear design, but also revolutionize and benefit wearable devices and robots in many fields, with clinical, industrial, and military applications.

Last Updated February 2020.

Sport and the Body