Franz Konstantin Fuss

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• MD; PhD (Habilitation); PGDipBiomechanics
• Professor (Full) at University of Bayreuth

The areas of the femoral origin of the cruciate ligaments have approximately the shape of sectors of ellipses, the one for the anterior ligament on the lateral condyle posteroproximally and the one for the posterior ligament on the medial condyle distally. By means of a new technique of dissection, combined with the use of X-rays, the change in dis...

This study investigates the determination of the centre of pressure (COP) on spherical sports objects such as cricket balls and footballs using gyroscope data from Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs). Conventional pressure sensors are not suitable for capturing the tangential forces responsible for torque generation. This research presents a novel me...

The type of throw of a spin bowler can be analysed in the laboratory using a motion analysis system. However, there is still no method to determine the type of throw using other means and less effort. To solve this problem, we revised the traditional classification of spin bowling throws and analysed whether spin bowling throws are separate entitie...

Loose and baggy clothing is required by the rules of ski cross and snowboard cross. However, it is known from the literature that fluttering garments increase the aerodynamic drag. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of flexural rigidity and fabric weight on the coefficient of drag C D . Eleven fabrics (550 mm long, 320 mm wide)...

Previous studies on gender differences in running biomechanics have predominantly been limited to joint angles and have not investigated a potential influence of footwear condition. This study shall contribute to closing this gap. Lower body biomechanics of 37 recreational runners (19 f, 18 m) were analysed for eight footwear and two running speed...

According to standards, the heel soles of running shoes are currently tested with an energy absorption of 5 J. This study offers an alternative method to improve the measurement of cushioning properties. The new method uses the ratio of absorbed energy to applied force and determines the maximum of this ratio (optimum or shoulder point) and the ass...

Backpacks play a pivotal role in facilitating the transportation of essential items, particularly within the realm of physical activities. In demanding physical environments such as mountain sports, effective thermoregulation, pressure absorption, and distribution become paramount due to the repetitive interaction between the athlete’s back and the...

Advancements in nanotechnology have positioned coatings as a pivotal field with the potential to significantly impact both industry and society. This review delves into nanomaterials and their potential to create smart coatings capable of real-time monitoring and flexible electronics applications. The mechanisms of conductivity and sensing capabili...

The surge in global population growth and the escalating demand for social and economic prosperity present formidable challenges in the 21st century. However, asserting the sustainability of some ecological impact reduction initiatives, such as recycling, requires a comprehensive evaluation within various domains, including performance, ecology, an...

The location of defect formed in the final composite is identified using sensor data. Herein, we report the development of an online process monitoring system for vacuum‐assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) process using large area graphene coated in‐situ fabric sensor. Besides imparting excellent mechanical properties to the final composites, t...

Although diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) has a very high prevalence among people with diabetes, gait analysis using cyclograms is very limited, and cyclogram research, in general, is limited to standard measures available in software packages. In this study, cyclograms (movements of the centre of pressure, COP, on and between the plantar surfaces) of...

In 4th industrial revolution, sensors will play a pivotal part in digitalization of composite manufacturing through factory automation. The ability to track and monitor the composite manufacturing process triggers improved manufacturing process, provides crucial data for defect tracking and predictive maintenance and finally improves the overall pr...

This review reports on the use of sensors in wheelchair sports to monitor and analyze performance during match and training time. With rapid advancements in electronics and related technologies, understanding performance metrics in wheelchair sports is essential. We reviewed nine studies using various sensor types, including electric motors, inerti...

Wheelchair propulsion and actuation are influenced by the moving masses of the wheelchair user; however, the extent of this effect is still unclear. The main evidence of this effect is that the speed of the wheelchair frame continues to increase after the end of the push phase. The wheel-chair's speed was measured using IMUs and the duration of the...

The horse’s navicular bone is located inside the hoof between the deep flexor tendon (DDFT) and the middle and end phalanges. The aim of this study was to calculate the stress distribution across the articular surface of the navicular bone and to investigate how morphological variations of the navicular bone affect the joint forces and stress distr...

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused administrators to issue a major change in the playing regulations of cricket. For hygienic reasons, the historic practice of applying saliva to polish one side of the cricket ball has been banned. Fast bowlers feel that this regulation will limit their ability to swing the cricket ball. Wax-like substances have been...

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic resulted in approximately 7 million deaths and impacted 767 million individuals globally, primarily through infections. Acknowledging the impactful influence of sedentary behaviors, particularly exacerbated by COVID-19 restrictions, a substantial body of research has emerged, utilizing wearable sensor technologies to assess...

Spin bowling deliveries in cricket, finger spin and wrist spin, are usually (Type 1, T1) performed with forearm supination and pronation, respectively, but can also be executed with opposite movements (Type 2, T2), specifically forearm pronation and supination, respectively. The aim of this study is to identify the differences between T1 and T2 usi...

In evaluating the effectiveness of COVID-19 control measures, we propose a standardized approach to assess the impact of COVID-19 management on flattening the curve by analyzing the case data of Victoria, Australia. Its capital, Melbourne, is considered the most lock-downed city in the world. We used the daily case data from Victoria and their firs...

Background In previous studies that analyzed the biomechanics of spin bowling with a smart cricket ball, it was evident that not all the torque applied to the ball was converted into spin rate, with varying losses among different bowlers. This study aims to investigate the factors contributing to these losses.Methods Developed in 2011, the world's...

Introduction Speed climbing will be a single discipline at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics. Contrary to its popularity, research into sensor applications for, and digitisation of, speed climbing is underdeveloped. Video analysis seems to be the gold standard [1]. The aim of this study is to test the feasibility of a wearable sensor system for data-d...

Abstract: This study attempts to shed new light on the dynamics of a turning ship using the principles of free body diagrams (FBDs). Unexpectedly, the literature gap is defined by incomplete and flawed FBDs. The method behind this new approach involves the FBD of a turning ship, with all the essential forces included, namely propulsive force, sidew...

In gravity-powered sports, more mass at the same drag area results in a shorter finish time. Based on the body mass data and the finish times of the Skeleton and Luge competitions at the 2018 Winter Olympics, this study investigated the fairness of rules, by establishing trends between finish time and body mass or simulated system mass. A glide mod...

The use of poles in sports, to support propulsion, is an integral and inherent component of some sports disciplines such as skiing (cross-country and roller), Nordic walking, and trail running. The aim of this review is to summarize the current state-of-the-art of literature on multiple influencing factors of poles in terms of biomechanical and phy...

In Kendo, there is no consensus as to which hand should produce more pressure when attacking the opponent with the bamboo sword, let alone how to teach the pressure distribution during coaching. There is the theory that a Kendo attack can be divided into five phases, which has not entered the coaching practice, either. The aim of this study was to...

Citation: Fuss, F.K.; Weizman, Y.; Tan, A.M. The Difference in Wave Dynamics between SARS-CoV-2 Pre-Omicron and Omicron Variant Waves. COVID 2023, 3, 28-50. Abstract: Compared to previous SARS-CoV-2 variants, the Omicron variant exhibited different epidemiological features. The purpose of this study was to assess the wave dynamics of pre-Omicron an...

Background When a country introduces different COVID-19 control measures over time, it is important to identify the specific measure that was effective and therefore responsible for “flattening the curve”. This information helps policymakers find the right decision and saves the economy by avoiding severe yet ineffective measures. Objective This p...

Background: During a carving turn, vibrations are induced at the heel of the snowboard through edge friction when the heel slips sideways and subsequently travel through and along the board to the shovel, which vibrates and affects the edge control. The purpose of this study was to find a method for assessing the edge grip with a laser vibrometer....

Composite foam sensors presenting promising applications in pressure sensors require seamless integration of conductive additives, simplicity of manufacturing with minimum footprint, and consistent performance with optimum mechanical properties. Here, we present a resistive‐type foam sensor based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) containing high loading o...

This study investigates the influence of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) coated glass fabrics on the strain sensing and the mechanical characteristics of fiber‐reinforced composites. Graphene oxide was applied in two thicknesses (threefold and fivefold coatings) onto a fabric using a padder mangle machine followed by thermal reduction and infused with...

Introduction: The terminal speed in gravity powered sports disciplines is related to the square root of the ratio of weight to drag area [1], i.e. the greater the total gliding mass TM (athlete, gear, equipment, additional ballast) and the smaller the drag area, the faster is the speed. According to the skeleton rules [2], the total TM is restricte...

Introduction: Sports balls are spun by applying a friction force (in addition to the normal force) to their surface, which produces a torque TR. The TR imparted accelerates the ball and thereby generates and increases its spin rate w (angular velocity). Yet, not only TR determines the magnitude of w, but also how efficiently TR is converted to w. T...

The coefficient of friction (COF) is usually calculated from a force ratio or a translational velocity ratio. We developed a new method for calculating the COF between fingers and a thrown ball from the spin parameter (angular over translational velocity). We used triad data obtained from a motion analysis system. We rigidified the triad data with...

Spasticity is a disabling characteristic of neurological disorders, described by a velocity-dependent increase in muscle tone during passive stretch. During the last few years, many studies have been carried out to assess spasticity using wearable IMU (inertial measurements unit) sensors. This review aims to provide an updated framework of the curr...

Pressure ulcers in wheelchair users are caused by shear stress. We investigated the kinetic coefficient of friction (COF) of 5 wheelchair seats. The lowest COF measured (0.35-0.4) was still too high. We recommend a very low COF surface combined with a concave seat to reduce the ulcer risk.

For fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, countries used control measures of different severity, from "relaxed" to lockdown. Drastic lockdown measures are considered more effective but also have a negative impact on the economy. When comparing the financial value of lost lives to the losses of an economic disaster, the better option seems to be lockdown...

The ability of people living with dementia to walk independently is a key contributor to their overall well-being and autonomy. For this reason, understanding the relationship between dementia and gait is significant. With rapidly emerging developments in technology, wearable devices offer a portable and affordable alternative for healthcare expert...

Background Gait symmetry is used to measure pathological gait but is usually applied to unilateral pathology. This study aims to investigate bilateral impairment using existing and new gait symmetry methods. Methods 15 healthy volunteers and 14 people with diabetes and distal symmetrical polyneuropathy participated in this study. Three temporal pa...

Citation: Fuss, F.K.; Tan, A.M.; Weizman, Y.; Hameed, N. Monitoring of the Production Process and the Force Sensing Quality of a Reduced Graphene Oxide (rGO) Sensor. Engineering Proceedings 10(1): (article number 66) 1-6, DOI: 10.3390/ecsa-8-11278 Abstract: Graphene oxide (GO) has the advantage of a uniform dispersion in water, which is essential...

Introduction: Profiling of cricket bowlers is performed with motion analyses systems that require the placement of markers on the bowler’s body and on the ball. Conventional smart balls such as cricket and baseballs provide only one speed and one spin rate datum at the release point, which is insufficient for biomechanical profiling. Method: In thi...

The planning of public transport operations is an essential component of urban transport management systems that aims to provide the most efficient, safe and effective way to support movement of people. Improving the customer journey experience is a key focus, as cities grow and sustainable public transport becomes more critical. This has led to an...

Graphene has emerged as one of the promising nanoscale components of polymer nanocomposites owing to its exceptional properties. The 2D graphene material, when distributed appropriately in the host polymer can significantly alter the load, electron, and phonon transfer behavior of the nanocomposites. The in-plane strong covalent bonds in graphene a...

In this study, the electromechanical properties and strain monitoring behavior of graphene-coated glass fiber reinforced epoxy (GGFRE) composites were investigated. Glass fabrics were first coated with 2 wt% graphene dispersions using a blade coating method and composites of these graphene-coated glass fabrics were manufactured using vacuum resin i...

Hard-shell thoracolumbar sacral orthoses (TLSOs) are used for treating idiopathic scoliosis, a deformation of the spine with a sideways curvature. The pressure required inside the TLSO for ideal corrective results remains unclear. Retrofitting TLSOs with commercially available pressure measurement systems is expensive and can only be performed in a...

Fractal-dimensions (D) and Hurst-exponent (H) are often used for determining a randomness (RI) or predictability index in distributed signals, from the linear relationship of RI=1–H=D–1, as H+D=2. This paper investigates the similarities and differences of the results of different methods, when calculating D, H, and RI with the same dataset signals...

Wearable Technology is the leading worldwide fitness trend. This paper describes and analyses the features of Lateral Innovation and Disruptive Technology of 4 sensor-based and wearable sports products, developed by academic research, and discusses the advantages of Lateral Innovation.

Background For fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, countries used control measures of different severity, from ‘relaxed’ to lockdown. Drastic lockdown measures are considered more effective, but also have a negative impact on the economy. When comparing the financial value of lost lives to the losses of an economic disaster, the better option seems to...

For fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, countries used control measures of different severity, from 'relaxed' to lockdown. Drastic lockdown measures are considered more effective, but also have a negative impact on the economy. When comparing the financial value of lost lives to the losses of an economic disaster, the better option seems to be lockdown...

Use of wearable technology to enhance response to the Coronavirus(COVID-19) pandemic

Speed climbing is an Olympic discipline within the combined sport climbing event in 2020 for the first time. Speed climbing is a high-speed and anaerobic exercise against gravity over a few seconds with extreme psychological pressure. Although there is some literature on heart rate (HR) when lead climbing, there is no literature on the behavior of...

Introduction As part of the COVID-19 outbreak response, numerous technology-based solutions have been created to enable contact tracing, track movements of the population and ensure social control. Wearable biometric bracelets are widespread and commonly used in the form of wrist-worn activity trackers that are both familiar and liked by the genera...

Sensors incorporated in a sports ball for data collection can affect the properties of a ball, specifically the spin rate of a ball if the mass distribution (moments of inertia, MOI) is altered. This paper provides a method for assessing the MOIs of a smart ball by means of spin rate data, collected from a gyroscopic sensor. The critical elevation...

A pitcher’s action, when delivering a fastball, was analyzed from the data provided by a smart baseball. The spin rate at the release of the ball was merely 15.7 rps, however, the peak torque was excessively high, namely 0.396 Nm. The reason why the pitcher was not able to translate the torque entirely to angular kinetic energy and this to the spin...

Profiling of spin bowlers is currently based on the assessment of translational velocity and spin rate (angular velocity). If two spin bowlers impart the same spin rate on the ball, but bowler A generates more spin rate than bowler B, then bowler A has a higher chance to be drafted, although bowler B has the potential to achieve the same spin rate,...

A Frisbee with a mass of 0.21 kg, diameter of 0.27 m and moment of inertia (MOI) of 0.002 kg·m2 was instrumented with a triaxial gyroscope. The Frisbee was thrown at low angular velocities as the measurement limit of a single gyroscope was at 6.065 rps. The angular velocities of the triaxial gyroscope were analysed to study the attitude of a Frisbe...

In Kendo, the ability to execute a technique within the shortest time is essential for winning. The purpose of this study was to utilise an in-house developed automatic headgear-scoring sensor with a buzzer to determine the auditory response reaction time (ARRT) of professional (PK) and amateur (AK) Kendo practitioners. ARRT is defined as the time...

Nine soccer balls were tested for their friction against a leather sheet, using a force plate. An average normal force of 63.6 N was applied and the movement of the ball had an average velocity of 15 mm/s. Each test was repeated 15 times and the average Coefficient of Friction (COF) was reported. The following results were obtained: Jabulani (COF:...

The more experienced a climber is, the more friction they can impart on a climbing hold surface. The aim of this research was to investigate how the properties of a hold’s surface are perceived and how the perception relates to the amount of friction applied to the hold. The holds’ surface properties are roughness/smoothness and grippiness/slippine...

Piezoresistive sensors become increasingly important in wearable devices, specifically sensors printed with piezoresistive inks. The electrical viscosity of these sensors causes phenomena such as stress relaxation, creep and hysteresis. This compromises sensor calibration and leads to inaccurate results. When subjecting a sensor to loading and unlo...

Before 2013, the usage of gloves in Australian football was not regulated, and a study was conducted to ensure that gloves do not provide an unfair advantage, i.e. a better grip than the bare human hand. 10 glove models used in Australian football were tested against leather panels of Australian footballs, and the coefficient of friction (COF) was...

This study identified a novel method of validating the force and Centre of Pressure (COP)obtained from pressure-measuring insoles, utilizing commercially available equipment. The focus of this research was to compare force and COP data between a newly developed Smart Insole (SI)and the Pedar (PE)insole using an independent point of reference device...

The principles of slipstreaming or drafting are very well known in muscle-powered sports, but unknown in gravity-powered sports. Typical examples of gravity-powered sports, where several athletes are racing against each other, are ski-cross and snowboard-cross. The aim of this research is to investigate the effectiveness and practical applicability...

The carbon fiber (CF) preforming process is one of the rate-limiting steps in composite manufacturing. Lack of control over the raw materials during the preforming process leads to inconsistent production. Batch-to-batch variations are unavoidable as molding environments remain undetected during the preforming process especially during the stacking...

Although it is becoming increasingly popular to monitor parameters related to training, recovery, and health with wearable sensor technology (wearables), scientific evaluation of the reliability, sensitivity, and validity of such data is limited and, where available, has involved a wide variety of approaches. To improve the trustworthiness of data...

Muscle activity and fatigue performance parameters were obtained and compared between both a smart compression garment and the gold-standard, a surface electromyography (EMG) system during high-speed cycling in seven participants. The smart compression garment, based on force myography (FMG), comprised of integrated pressure sensors that were sandw...

A smart cricket ball was used to investigate the influence of increased spin rate on the bowling performance parameters. In three spin bowlers, the performance parameters were compared before and after increasing the spin rate. The first bowler increased the spin rate by 22%, decreased the normalised precession the angle at which the spin rate vect...

In the off-spin bowling grip, the ball is clamped between index and middle fingers. Spin bowlers attempt to select a spread angle between these two fingers that achieves comfort and optimises performance. The aim of this paper was to investigate whether the standard grip is superior to narrow and wide grips. The bowling performance parameters were...

This paper provides the evidence of a sweet spot on the boot/foot as well as the method for detecting it with a wearable pressure sensitive device. This study confirmed the hypothesized existence of sweet and dead spots on a soccer boot or foot when kicking a ball. For a stationary curved kick, kicking the ball at the sweet spot maximized the proba...

Footwear-based wearable applications are relevant to numerous fields and have great commercial and clinical potential. However, scientifically validated, reliable data on these devices is largely missing. Centre of pressure (COP) is an important and common factor for measuring balance and gait and hence the validity of such devices is essential for...

Kendo is one of the most ancient swordsmanship arts in Japan. The aims of this study are to develop and test an innovative smart Kote glove for assisting the Kendoka to distinguish scoring from non-scoring Kote (wrist) strikes. An in-house developed pressure sensing platform was utilized to develop the smart Kote glove. Ten kendo practitioners, com...

A participant wearing the Pedar-X performed 6 activities on level ground: Slow, medium and fast walk, medium and fast run, and limping. Static BW was measured prior each activity. The dynamic and static BWs were calculated from the mean of the sum of forces of both feet over time and compared to the force measured from the force-plate. As the base...

A smart oar blade with piezoresistive sensors on either side was developed, calibrated, and tested hydrostatically, hydrodynamically and during rowing. The hydrostatic test down to a water depth of 0.7 m returned the correct and expected pressure values (r2 = 0.9953). In the hydrodynamic test, the peak differential pressure ranged from 100 Pa to 15...

In off-spin bowling (finger-spin delivery with a sidespin, right-handed bowler), the ball rolls over the middle finger and rotates counterclockwise, as seen by the batsman. It is therefore expected that the torque imparted onto the ball is generated by the middle finger and the centre of pressure (COP) is also located close to the middle finger. Th...

Prosthetic sprinting feet made of carbon fibre reinforced plastics for transtibial amputee athletes are widely used by hobby athletes and in professional competition. However, so far work done to assess static and dynamic properties of prosthetic feet dedicated to sprinting did not take into account different mounting angles of the prostheses onto...

The purpose of this project was to design a biofeedback system for beginner snowboarders. The aim was to design and build an electronic system, which analysed the load under the feet of the snowboarder and alerted the rider when more load was put on the back boot compared to the front boot. There are several stages involved in such a project includ...

Muscle fatigue of leg muscles was assessed in cyclists with EMG and smart compression garments, measuring the surface pressure between muscles and the garment. The surface pressure reflects the muscle force via a calibration function. The surface pressure represents the onset of the muscle force (via a calibration function) more accurately than the...

The purpose of the study was to develop an evidence-based method for identification and classification of wheelchair sports (rugby) activities and performance during a match using fractal dimensions. The approach involves five wheelchair rugby athletes of different classifications who were monitored during six different matches using mobile devices...

The aim of this book chapter is to find and evaluate an analytical solution for a non-linear ODE that shows the sum of the function, its derivative and the product of function and derivative equals unity. Consequently we will use the solution of the ODE to develop a model of limb movement based on muscle parameters, and to define muscle performance...

The assessment of emotions with fractal dimensions of EEG signals has been attempted before, but the quantification of the intensity and duration of sudden and short emotions remains a challenge. This paper suggests a method for this purpose, by using a new fractal dimension algorithm and by adjusting the amplitude of the EEG signal in order to obt...

Athletes adapt their training daily to optimize performance, as well as avoid fatigue, overtraining and other undesirable effects on their health. To optimize training load, each athlete must take his/her own personal objective and subjective characteristics into consideration and an increasing number of wearable technologies (wearables) provide co...

The research base for rock climbing has expanded substantially in the past three decades as worldwide interest in the sport has grown. An important trigger for the increasing research attention has been the transition of the sport to a competitive as well as recreational activity and the potential inclusion of sport climbing in the Olympic schedule...

Objective: Mild leg length discrepancy (LLD) is a common condition in which one femoral head is situated closer to the ground than the other in the standing position. Hence, LLD involves asymmetrical and excessive loading of hip and lumbar spinal joints. Excessive joint loading is a known predisposing factor to degenerative joint disease (DJD) or o...

This study aims to compare the accuracy of a pair of novel low-cost insoles with that of the proven standard Kistler force plate. The correlation of both devices had a r2 value of 0.942 and 0.946 for COPx and COPy respectively during dynamic tests conducted to measure macroscopic changes of the COP. Fractal dimension analysis was conducted to measu...