WheelPower: wheelchair sports and data science push it to the limit

WheelPower! Wheelchair sports and data science push it to the limit >Relevance: The Dutch team performed exceptionally well at the Paralympics in Rio 2016 with a 7th place on the international medal table. Especially in the wheelchair sports (wheelchair basketball, tennis, athletics, triathlon and rugby), four golden, three silver and two bronze medals were won. To aim big and improve upon this result, these wheelchair sports now come together with NOC*NSF and Chef-de-Mission Esther Vergeer to collaborate with a strong consortium of (data)scientists around the central theme of optimal athletic power production. The presented proposal therefore fits the themes ‘beter presteren’ combined with ‘data science’. >Aim: To improve the power output of athletes in their sport-specific wheelchair to perform better in competition. To achieve this aim, elite wheelchair-athletes and their coaches request the implementation of objective lab- and field- based measurements for monitoring power performance, combined with direct feedback. This way, evidence-based wheelchair performance guidelines can be developed, improving the effect of training or wheelchair setup. In addition, because of continued monitoring, athletes receive feedback of their improvements and can be warned against overuse and are therefore optimally prepared for the moment of competition. >Starting point: Previously funded projects have laid a strong fundament by developing IMU based on-court analyses (RAAK-Pro Perfect wheelchair), valid wheelchair ergometer exercise testing (SNN-EFRO), and wheelchair technological innovations (Sportinnovator). This proposal also joins forces with the CAS Perspectief program that also focuses on sensors, feedback and data science, but currently does not include wheelchair sports. However, for true impact on all Paralympic wheelchair sports, these separate parts of the puzzle need to be integrated and systematically implemented, which also implies the formation of data lakes and predictive analytics. Therefore, the current proposal is necessary to optimally combine previous investments, thus allowing the Netherlands to overtake the current leaders of the Paralympic wheelchair sports. >Multidisciplinary consortium: -Knowledge partners: RuG/UMCG, TU Delft, VU Amsterdam & THUAS have a strong research history, recently visible in the successful RAAK-Pro project on the perfect sports wheelchair. This consortium is now complemented with Delft Data Science, as strong data science partner. -Paralympic wheelchair sports: wheelchair basketball, tennis, athletics, triathlon and rugby are involved through their own sports association, together with NOC*NSF. A head start was made by the appointment of an embedded scientist “wheelchair sports” and a wheelchair technology coordinator. Both will work in synergy with the WheelPower project to fulfill the aims and agenda of Paralympic wheelchair sports. -Commercial partners: Lode and ProCare are present on the side of technological innovation. the Sportinnovator centers Groningen, Papendal and Delft guard the knowledge implementation and continuation after the funding period. -Rehabilitation Centers: Reade and Basalt are strong clinical partners that help with the measurements and are important stakeholders for the translation of results to the rehabilitation process and daily life optimization of wheelchair-users. >Research question: What are the beneficial and limiting factors for optimal power production by wheelchair athletes during competition? #WP1, On-court power demands: The objective is to connect wheelchair athletes to the Wheelchair Mobility Performance Monitor (WMPM) and meanwhile extend the WMPM with more athlete activity-based power output. This project allows for a direct start with data collection, combined with lab-based measurements, so that individual performance portfolios are filled immediately. Subsequently a big data approach, using neural networks and predictive analytics, will be applied to identify the performance indicators and performance killers. #WP2, Wheelchair power analyzed: The objective is to perform detailed standardized lab measurements of power output on the wheelchair ergometer and add these data to the performance portfolio. Next to standardized tests for aerobic and anaerobic power output, also detailed biomechanical analyses on the kinetic chain will be performed to optimize the power flow for producing high power outputs. #WP3: The power of feedback: The objective is to integrate WP1 & WP2 and further develop and implement feedback systems to provide athletes and coaches of essential information on their performance. Special focus will be direct feedback on timing within the kinetic chain to achieve an optimal power transfer during relevant wheelchair sports actions. WP1 will be the responsibility of TUD and THUAS, with input from other partners, WP2 will be the responsibility of RUG and VUA, with input from other partners. WP3 will be covered by all partners.