This paper reviews about 50 years of activity in OR as applied to sports. After some history and an overview, including discussions of what we mean by sport and what we mean by OR, four themes are presented: tactics and strategy, scheduling, forecasting and ‘other’. Within each theme many papers are discussed, showing the wide range of methods used and sports analysed. The issue is then raised of who our clients are and who they ought to be—it is suggested that not nearly enough is done for amateur sport. The paper ends with a conclusion and speculations about the next 50 years.

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50 years of OR in sport

Vibration of damaged beams under a moving mass: theory and experimental validation

Background The socio-economic status of the countries is ever-changing due to the increasing population. 'Green Revolution', a paradigm shift towards technology driven agriculture, has ensured a good quality of life to some extent for this increasing population. However, it brings in several negative impacts on the environment, which poses a threat to the sustainability of agriculture and natural resources. Precision agriculture (PA) is a state-of-the-art concept of site-specific farm management that helps to overcome this threat in a smart way using modern information and communication technologies. It reduces the indecorous use of resources, pollution and hence improves quality of life, which in turn helps to achieve sustainable development goals. Results The objective of this systematic review is to understand the present status, benefits, and limitations of the state-of-the-art technologies used in PA. A total 67 articles are identified following the PRISMA guideline to inspect the technical innovations at different components of PA. The articles are examined based on the novelties, measured parameters, technologies, and field of applications. Conclusion This analysis results in a significant understanding about the present knowledge gap and identification of the potential future research opportunities for sustainable agronomy. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

State-of-the-art technologies in precision agriculture: a systematic review.

An autonomous robot apparatus that is activated to perform a work routine upon detecting the accumulation of precipitation. In one aspect, the invention can be an autonomous robot apparatus comprising: a chassis; a plurality of wheels mounted to the chassis; a drive system mounted to the chassis and operably coupled to the plurality of wheels; a control module operably coupled to the drive system; a precipitation sensing module comprising an accumulation level sensor configured to generate and transmit, to the control module, a first signal upon a predetermined initial accumulation level being detected; and the control module configured to activate the autonomous robot apparatus to perform a first instance of a work routine upon receipt of the first signal.

Autonomous robot apparatus and method for controlling the same

Previously, forward dynamic models of the golf swing have been planar, two-dimensional (2D) representations. Research on live golfers has consistently demonstrated that the downswing is not planar. This paper introduces and evaluates the validity of a 3D six-segment forward dynamics model of a golfer. The model incorporates a flexible club shaft and a variable swing plane. A genetic algorithm was developed to optimise the coordination of the model’s mathematically represented muscles (torque generators) in order to maximise clubhead speed at impact. The kinematic and kinetic results confirmed previous findings on the proximal to distal sequencing of joints and the muscles powering those joints. The validity of the mathematical model was supported through comparisons of the model’s swing kinematics and kinetics with those of a live golfer.

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A three-dimensional forward dynamics model of the golf swing

A new golf-swing robot model utilizing shaft elasticity

The performance of golf clubs and balls is generally evaluated using a golf-swing robot that conventionally have two or three joints with completely interrelated motion. This interrelation allows the user of this robot to specify only the initial posture and swing velocity of the robot and thus, the swing motion of this type of robot cannot be subtly adjusted to the specific characteristics of individual golf clubs. Consequently, golf-swing robots cannot accurately emulate professional golfers and this causes serious problems for the evaluation of the performance of golf clubs. In the paper, a golf-swing robot that can adjust its motion to both, a specified value of swing velocity and the specific characteristics of individual golf clubs is investigated analytically.

Golf-swing robot emulating a human motion

A new golf-swing robot that included a feed-forward controller in the shoulder joint and a passive wrist joint was suggested in previous studies to more closely model a skilful golfer. In this study, multiple modulation torque planning for a new golf-swing robot that is capable of modelling a skilful golfer’s swing with a delayed wrist turn was analytically examined. The twostep modulation torque included the effects of whole-body motion on shoulder acceleration, which improved the efficiency index of the swing motion and the club head speed at impact with a correctly timed wrist turn. In addition, it was demonstrated that the optimum moment of inertia and optimum design of club shaft rigidity for several types of golfers could be determined by torque planning in a virtual performance test.

Multiple modulation torque planning for a new golf-swing robot with a skilful wrist turn

Stabilization of a Biped Quasi Passive Walking Robot via Periodic Input

The performance of the knee component of above-knee prosthesis greatly affects the gait of the user. Recently, the intelligent knee joint that can adapt itself to the change of walking speed has been developed. The purpose of this study is to develop above-knee prosthesis that is able to be automatically adapted to various gates by using simple and passive control units at the knee joint. In this paper, control of the knee joint in swing phase of the gate cycle is analytically investigated by using a simplified dynamic model of a lower limb. As the result, it was clarified that the control of viscosity of the knee was more effective to change the pace than the control of inertia of the shank and the friction force. In addition, it was also clarified that extension torque was required at the knee joint in the latter half of the swing phase under the condition of instructed step size and pace.

Soichiro Suzuki

Papers

A new golf-swing robot model utilizing shaft elasticity

Golf-swing robot emulating a human motion

Multiple modulation torque planning for a new golf-swing robot with a skilful wrist turn

Stabilization of a Biped Quasi Passive Walking Robot via Periodic Input

Analytical Study on Control of Above-Knee Prosthesis in Swing Phase