W.S.G. Isaac Newton

Kinetic Analysis is a company that develops unique algorithms for elite sports and potentially the rehabilitation sector. They utilize various data sources, such as inertial, optical and physiological sensors, resulting into biomechanical, biochemical and breathing data, to capture diverse information. By combining these data streams, they create practical applications. For instance, they measure lactate levels in sweat, analyze breathing patterns using smart textiles and assess balance issues in the elderly using cameras.

As part of their expansion into the rehabilitation sector, Kinetic Analysis embarked on a new project focused on wheelchair users. The project’s objective is to encourage wheelchair users to increase their physical activity. The company aims to develop an app that tracks specific parameters, enabling users to monitor their activity levels. The app will also have a community where wheelchair users can compare their results, benchmark activity, and share useful tips. Additionally, rehabilitation doctors can set goals within the app to track progress of wheelchair users in recovery and provide relevant advice or make schedule adjustments when necessary.

During this internship, my goal was to identify useful continuous and discrete wheelchair kinematics using a single IMU. The decision to use only one IMU was motivated by the aim to minimize the costs and increase the usability for end users. The selected parameters that were chosen to be calculated were distance, velocity, push identification and activity identification. I conducted tests for each of these aspects, developed an algorithm, and performed validations.

The company itself was relatively small, with the number of interns almost equaling the number of employees at the location in Breda. However, this created a pleasant and relaxed work environment. I thoroughly enjoyed working there, and my extensive knowledge of matlab allowed me to assist many interns within the company, which I found fulfilling.