Search Results (109)

Combining machine vision and deep learning, optical detection technology can achieve intelligent inspection. To address the issues of low efficiency and poor consistency in the quality classification of cork discs used for making badminton heads, research on optimizing the YOLOv5 image-processing algorithm was conducted and applied to cork disc quality detection. Real-time images of cork discs were captured using industrial cameras, and a dataset was independently constructed. A GAN-based defect synthesis algorithm was employed to resolve the lack of defect samples. An attention mechanism was embedded in the YOLOv5 backbone network to enhance feature representation. The number of anchors in the YOLOv5 detection layer was reduced to address similar sample sizes, a center-matching strategy was designed to balance positive samples, and a shortest-distance label assignment algorithm was developed to eliminate ambiguities, improving accuracy and reducing postprocessing complexity. Detection results were integrated into quality classification. Experiments on the NVIDIA RTX3080 GPU demonstrated that the optimized algorithm improved the original YOLOv5 F1 score by 2.4% and mF1 score by 9.0%, achieving a quality classification F1 score of 95.1%, a processing speed of 178.5 FPS, and an mAP of 81.5%. Comparative experiments showed that the improved algorithm achieved the best detection accuracy on the cork disc dataset while maintaining high processing speed. Full article

This study focused on mental health and fatigue in elite university student-athletes competing in badminton at the national level, comparing them with control university students and examining related factors. Among university athletes, anxiety and depression showed a moderately negative correlation with life satisfaction outside of sports, as determined by partial correlation tests adjusted for fatigue. Athletes demonstrated a 47% rate of anxiety and a 30% rate of depression. These values showed no significant difference from those of the anxiety (29%) and depression (21%) rates in a non-athlete university student sample. In addition, this study suggested that the evaluation of fatigue using a checklist of individual strength might produce low reliability and validity for elite university student-athletes in badminton. These exploratory findings highlight the importance of focusing on athletes’ overall life satisfaction and suggest the potential need for effective mental health interventions beyond sports. However, because of the exploratory nature of this study and the small sample size, further research is necessary to confirm these results. Full article

Objective: To construct and validate a physical fitness evaluation index system for elite male singles badminton players. Methods: Utilizing the Delphi method to establish a comprehensive evaluation system, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was employed to calculate the influence weights of various indicators. The validity of the comprehensive evaluation system was verified using testing methods. Results: After three rounds of expert selection, the physical fitness evaluation index system for elite male singles badminton players includes three primary indicators, nine secondary indicators, and twenty-one tertiary indicators. Among the primary indicators, specialized physical fitness holds a significant weight in the evaluation with a value of 0.651, whereas body morphology has a smaller weight of 0.077. Among the secondary indicators, specialized agility, strength, and endurance have higher weights of 0.223, 0.217, and 0.210, respectively. Among the tertiary indicators, four-corner ball touch, 400 m × 5 shuttle run, smash-and-rush, and vertical jump height hold higher weights of 0.119, 0.114, 0.104, and 0.096, respectively. The results after randomly selecting ten elite male singles badminton players and applying the evaluation index system demonstrated that this system has high feasibility and validity. It can not only comprehensively assess the physical fitness of athletes but also provide significant practical guidance for enhancing their competitive performance. Conclusions: The evaluation system and weight assignments constructed in this study can scientifically and comprehensively reflect the physical fitness status of athletes. It can guide coaches in formulating targeted training plans and optimizing training outcomes. Full article

Extracting the flight trajectory of the shuttlecock in a single turn in badminton games is important for automated sports analytics. This study proposes a novel method to extract shots in badminton games from a monocular camera. First, TrackNet, a deep neural network designed for tracking small objects, is used to extract the flight trajectory of the shuttlecock. Second, the YOLOv7 model is used to identify whether the player is swinging. As both TrackNet and YOLOv7 may have detection misses and false detections, this study proposes a shot refinement algorithm to obtain the correct hitting moment. By doing so, we can extract shots in rallies and classify the type of shots. Our proposed method achieves an accuracy of 89.7%, a recall rate of 91.3%, and an F1 rate of 90.5% in 69 matches, with 1582 rallies of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) match videos. This is a significant improvement compared to the use of TrackNet alone, which yields 58.8% accuracy, 93.6% recall, and 72.3% F1 score. Furthermore, the accuracy of shot type classification at three different thresholds is 72.1%, 65.4%, and 54.1%. These results are superior to those of TrackNet, demonstrating that our method effectively recognizes different shot types. The experimental results demonstrate the feasibility and validity of the proposed method. Full article

Moral disengagement in sports refers to the psychological process through which individuals distance themselves from the ethical implications of their actions within the sporting context. This study aims to examine the role of religious commitment between personality traits and moral disengagement and investigate the role of prosocial and antisocial behaviours and moral identity. Student-athletes were recruited from individual and team sports, including football, basketball, handball, volleyball, wrestling, combat sports, swimming, track and field, cycling, badminton, and futsal. We hypothesised that extrovert personality traits directly predict moral identity, religious commitment, and prosocial/antisocial behaviours. Extraversion predicted moral disengagement with the mediation roles of internalisation, symbolisation, religious commitment, and pro- and antisocial behaviours. Our findings provide insights into the complex relationships between personality traits, internalisation, symbolisation, religious commitment, social behaviours, and their impact on moral disengagement. They highlight the importance of considering internalisation, symbolisation, and religious commitment mediating roles in understanding the relationships between extraversion, social behaviours, and moral disengagement. Understanding the complex relationship among these factors can inform the development of tailored interventions that address individual athletes’ needs and characteristics. Our study contributes to the growing body of literature on the psychological underpinnings of ethical behaviour in sports. By elucidating the roles of extraversion, moral identity, religious commitment, and social behaviours in moral disengagement, this research provides a more nuanced understanding of the factors influencing ethical decision-making and behaviour in student-athletes. Full article

Badminton is one of the most popular racket sports played by all age groups worldwide. Anyone can practice and play badminton as a leisure or competitive sport, regardless of age, experience, or skill level. It does not require physical contact among players or expensive equipment. Compared with closed-skill exercises (e.g., running and swimming), open-skill exercises (e.g., badminton and table tennis) have been reported to significantly improve cognitive function and prevent cognitive decline. This mini review aimed to investigate the findings related to badminton intervention for cognitive function, with attention to the modifiable risk factors of dementia in adults. Additionally, we outlined the characteristics of badminton’s physical demands. This narrative review encompassed studies reported from 2013 to 2023 from multiple databases, including PubMed and Google Scholar. Keywords such as “badminton”, “dementia”, “cognitive function”, “physical activity”, and “depression” were used to identify relevant articles. Various studies, including randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and case–control studies, were selected to provide a comprehensive overview of badminton intervention. Quantitative data analysis suggests that at a cognitive level, high-intensity badminton can enhance cognitive function with at least 10 min of play once weekly or 20 min of play once weekly on average, whereas moderate-intensity badminton can be effective when played for at least 30 min once weekly or 35 min twice weekly on average. For modifiable risk factors, recreational badminton for about 3 h weekly could effectively manage blood pressure. For body fat percentage and fasting serum glucose levels, recreational badminton for about 10 h weekly exerted positive effects. For depressive states, a moderate-intensity badminton program for 100 min weekly was effective. For lipid profiles associated with dementia occurrence, prolonged badminton intervention for more than 3 months may be beneficial. The characteristics presented here indicate that intervention with regular badminton exercise could effectively improve cognitive function and prevent cognitive decline in older adults. Full article

This study aims to examine sports injuries among amateur badminton players engaged in recreational activities, establishing a foundation for developing effective injury prevention and training programs. We assessed 504 amateur badminton players (302 males, 202 females) competing in the 2023 National Badminton Tournament in South Korea. This study focused on players involved in doubles matches, omitting singles competitors. Participants were divided into categories based on competitive and training sessions to document the location and type of injuries sustained. During competitions, the most frequently injured body parts were the waist (11.92%), ankle (11.66%), and knees and shoulders (11.53% each). In training sessions, injuries primarily affected the back and knees (12.43%) and shoulders (12.21%). The most common types of injuries during competitions were to muscles (35.60%), ligaments (29.32%), and tendons (12.04%), and during training to muscles (39.91%), ligaments (26.68%), and tendons (13.23%). Injuries resulting from player-to-player contact represented 19.44% of cases, while those involving non-player elements such as facility equipment accounted for 16.47%. There is a critical need to develop targeted injury prevention programs for amateur badminton players to mitigate injuries and enhance performance, thereby helping prevent the progression to chronic injury stages. Full article

Background: This research investigates the biomechanical impact of the split-step technique on forehand and backhand lunges in badminton, aiming to enhance players’ on-court movement efficiency. Despite the importance of agile positioning in badminton, the specific contributions of the split-step to the biomechanical impact of lunging footwork still need to be determined. Methods: This study examined the lower limb kinematics and ground reaction forces of 18 male badminton players performing forehand and backhand lunges. Data were collected using the VICON motion capture system and Kistler force platforms. Variability in biomechanical characteristics was assessed using paired-sample t-tests and Statistical Parametric Mapping 1D (SPM1D). Results: The study demonstrates that the split-step technique in badminton lunges significantly affects lower limb biomechanics. During forehand lunges, the split-step increases hip abduction and rotation while decreasing knee flexion at foot contact. In backhand lunges, it increases knee rotation and decreases ankle rotation. Additionally, the split-step enhances the loading rate of the initial ground reaction force peak and narrows the time gap between the first two peaks. Conclusions: These findings underscore the split-step’s potential in optimizing lunging techniques, improving performance and reducing injury risks in badminton athletes. Full article

Addressing the current issue of limited control methods for badminton serving devices, this paper proposes a vision-based multimodal control system and method for badminton serving. The system integrates computer vision recognition technology with traditional control methods for badminton serving devices. By installing vision capture devices on the serving device, the system identifies various human body postures. Based on the content of posture information, corresponding control signals are sent to adjust parameters such as launch angle and speed, enabling multiple modes of serving. Firstly, the hardware design for the badminton serving device is presented, including the design of the actuator module through 3D modeling. Simultaneously, an embedded development board circuit is designed to meet the requirements of multimodal control. Secondly, in the aspect of visual perception for human body recognition, an improved BlazePose candidate region posture recognition algorithm is proposed based on existing posture recognition algorithms. Furthermore, mappings between posture information and hand information are established to facilitate parameter conversion for the serving device under different postures. Finally, extensive experiments validate the feasibility and stability of the developed system and method. Full article

Sporting events are drivers of urban life and have the potential to bring substantial short-term economic benefits to the host region by attracting visitor spending. This study has analyzed the impact generated by the 2021 Senior and Elite Badminton World Championships that took place in Huelva, Spain. The objectives are (i) determine the economic impact and determining factors; and (ii) the impact on the development of badminton in the region. For this purpose, the study used the Cost-Benefit Analysis approach to estimate the cashflows through a survey applied to both events. The results reflect a direct positive impact on the region’s economy, although the results are not as satisfactory at the sporting level. The article contributes to the few mid-range event studies on a minority sport in a city with a highly developed tourism sector. Full article

This narrative review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the scientific literature on wheelchair badminton and its distinctive aspects, encompassing abilities and disabilities, propulsion technique, and the use of a racket. The relatively young history of wheelchair badminton is reflected in the scarcity of scientific studies within this domain, highlighting the need for further investigation. The review systematically covers existing articles on wheelchair badminton, offering a nearly exhaustive compilation of knowledge in this area. Findings suggest that athletes with abdominal capacities engage in more intense matches with a higher frequency of offensive shots compared to athletes with little or no abdominal capacities. Moreover, backward propulsion induces higher cardiorespiratory responses, overall intensity of effort, physiological stress, metabolic load, and rating of perceived exertion, particularly at high imposed rolling resistance or speeds, and makes it difficult to generate sufficient forces on the handrim, requiring adjustments in the kinematics of propulsion techniques, particularly at high rolling resistances or speeds, potentially leading to performance decrements. The use of a badminton racket further increases generated forces while decreasing the efficiency of propulsion and modifying the propulsion technique with shorter and quicker pushes, potentially impacting performance. Further research is imperative to explore additional perspectives, address existing gaps, and expand the scope of study within the wheelchair badminton domain. This narrative review serves as a foundation for future investigations, emphasizing the necessity of continued research to enhance our understanding of wheelchair badminton. Full article

The road to the top is never easy. This study investigated whether the career trajectories of top-level men’s and women’s badminton players could be predicted by their age at first major debut and the time taken to reach the top 150. Data from the BWF from October 2009 to October 2022 were analyzed using a predictive linear regression model with Bayesian inference, adjusting for anthropometric factors. The results suggested that age at debut influences career high rankings among over 120 elite players. Additionally, observations challenged the Matthew effect in early-career success for young players, proposing that inherent talent may be more significant than early nurturing. The study also examined the potential impact of relative age and early specialization in sports. Full article

The purpose of the study was to examine static postural control/balance in young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and typically developing (TD) young adults before, during, and after an inclusive badminton intervention. Eight participants (four IDD-BADM and four TD-BADM) participated in a 12-week inclusive badminton intervention, with the other eight participants as matched controls (four IDD-CONTR and four TD-CONTR) (74.19 kg ± 9.8 kg, 171.96 cm ± 5.4 cm; 21.7 ± 1.8 years of age; nine females and seven males; eight with IDD and eight TD). The study followed a repeated measures design (pre, mid, post) before the intervention, at 6 weeks, and after 12 weeks. Static postural sway conditions included: bilateral stance eyes open (20 s), eyes closed (10 s), foam eyes open (20 s), foam eyes closed (10 s), and unilateral stance eyes open (10 s) and foam eyes open (10 s). Sway measurements included: average anterior/posterior (A/P) displacement (in), average medial/lateral (M/L) displacement (in), average 95% ellipsoid area (in²), and average velocity (ft/s). Significant time × group interactions were reported for average velocity (EO) (p = 0.030), average length (EO) (p = 0.030), 95% ellipsoid area (EO) (p = 0.049), and average A/P displacement (1LEO) (p = 0.036) for IDD-BADM. Significant time main effects were reported for average A/P displacement (FEO) (p = 0.040) for IDD groups. Significant time main effects were reported for average M/L displacement (EO) (p = 0.001), (EC) (p = 0.004), (FEO) (p = 0.005), (FEC) (p = 0.004), and average A/P displacement (EO) (p = 0.006) and (FEO) (p = 0.005) for TD groups. An inclusive badminton program indicated evidence of improved static postural control for those with IDD. However, no significant differences were reported for TD peers. Full article

In badminton, accurate service height detection is critical for ensuring fairness. We developed an automated service fault detection system that employed computer vision and machine learning, specifically utilizing the YOLOv5 object detection model. Comprising two cameras and a workstation, our system identifies elements, such as shuttlecocks, rackets, players, and players’ shoes. We developed an algorithm that can pinpoint the shuttlecock hitting event to capture its height information. To assess the accuracy of the new system, we benchmarked the results against a high sample-rate motion capture system and conducted a comparative analysis with eight human judges that used a fixed height service tool in a backhand low service situation. Our findings revealed a substantial enhancement in accuracy compared with human judgement; the system outperformed human judges by 3.5 times, achieving a 58% accuracy rate for detecting service heights between 1.150 and 1.155 m, as opposed to a 16% accuracy rate for humans. The system we have developed offers a highly reliable solution, substantially enhancing the consistency and accuracy of service judgement calls in badminton matches and ensuring fairness in the sport. The system’s development signifies a meaningful step towards leveraging technology for precision and integrity in sports officiation. Full article

Badminton, a dynamic racquet sport demanding agility and power, features the overhead forehand smash as a pivotal offensive shot. Utilizing 3D motion analysis, this research delves into the intricate biomechanical facets underpinning this pivotal shot, with a dual focus on both novice and proficient players. Through a comparative analysis of these two player cohorts, the investigation aims to elucidate the fundamental factors influencing the quality of the forehand smash. Our findings reveal that skilled players exhibit significant improvements in smash quality, including a 60.2% increase in shuttlecock speed, reduced clearance height, and flight angle at release. These enhancements are associated with specific determinants, such as consistent positioning, racket angle at impact, and range of motion (ROM) in various joints. More crucially, full-body tension-arc formation and a four-segment whip-like smash contribute to these improvements. Unique to the whip-like smash is the rapid trunk and shoulder rotations in early whip-like control inducing passive elbow flexion and wrist over-extension, enhancing the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) effect of muscles for a more powerful smash. Emphasizing this uniqueness and the determinants simplify smash learning, potentially boosting training effectiveness. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of badminton’s biomechanics and offers practical implications for coaches and players to enhance their forehand smashes, especially among beginners. Full article