On November 21, Waseda University’s Health Promotion: The Joy of Sports and Exercise Unit held a mini-workshop by visiting faculty member, Professor Benedicte Vanwanseele (KU Leuven, Belgium.) This mini-workshop was held in a hybrid format in person and online. About 20 people, mostly students, participated in this workshop.
First, Professor Yasuo Kawakami introduced Professor Vanwanseele, followed by her lecture.
The workshop, entitled “Wearable technology in order to measure biomechanics and movement characteristics: applications in sports and rehabilitation,” introduced the latest findings and her research activities on wearable devices, which have been the focus of much attention in recent years.
From the perspective of sports and rehabilitation, Professor Vanwanseele focused on devices for running and walking. Many wearable devices have been created and commercially sold, and it was evident that many endeavors have been made in this field. Professor Vanwanseele, who has been conducting research in this field for a long time, showed her commitment to developing user-friendly and useful devices, while taking into account the differences between laboratory experiments and field exercises along with ensuring measurement accuracy.
She lectured on a wide variety of topics such as the types of signals that sensors capture and process, where and how devices are worn, and practical examples of how devices can be used to prevent sports injuries.
The participants asked questions from time to time during the one hour-long lecture, and the lecture was followed by a dedicated question-and-answer period. The lively exchange of opinions made for a productive time.
Members of Kawakami Laboratory who participated in the mini-workshop
