EMG Signal Processing in Amateur and Professional Sports with Performance Evaluation and

155 Pages·2017·23.01 MB·English

Guilherme Alexandre dos Santos Espadanal Ramos
Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering
EMG Signal Processing in Amateur and
Professional Sports with Performance Evaluation
and Injury Prevention
Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Science in
Biomedical Engineering
Adviser: Prof. Dr. Hugo Filipe Gamboa, Auxiliar Professor,
Faculty of Sciences and Technology,
NOVA University of Lisbon
Co-adviser: Prof. Dr. Carla Maria Quintão, Auxiliar Professor,
Faculty of Sciences and Technology,
NOVA University of Lisbon
ExaminationCommittee
Chairperson: Prof.Dr.CéliaMariaHenriques
Raporteur: Prof.Dr.PedroManuelVieira
Members: Prof.Dr.HugoFilipeGamboa
Prof.Dr.CarlaMariaQuintão
March, 2018

EMG Signal Processing in Amateur and Professional Sports with Performance
Evaluation and Injury Prevention
Copyright © Guilherme Alexandre dos Santos Espadanal Ramos, Faculdade de Ciências e
Tecnologia, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa.
A Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia e a Universidade NOVA de Lisboa têm o direito,
perpétuo e sem limites geográficos,de arquivar e publicar esta dissertação através de exem-
plares impressos reproduzidos em papel ou de forma digital, ou por qualquer outro meio
conhecido ou que venha a ser inventado, e de a divulgar através de repositórios científicos
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comerciais, desde que seja dado crédito ao autor e editor.
Thisdocumentwascreatedusingthe(pdf)LATEXprocessor,basedinthe“novathesis”template[1],developedattheDep.InformáticaofFCT-NOVA[2].
[1]https://github.com/joaomlourenco/novathesis [2]http://www.di.fct.unl.pt

To my Grandfather and my Parents,
who accompanied me on this
and in so many other adventures

Acknowledgements
Curiosities lie in most, or even all, individual recollections and are, very often, what allow
us to keep our memories alive.
One curiosity in this document can be found in this very section, in which the first
words to be seen by the reader were in fact the last ones to be written.
An acknowledgement is a simple gesture, but, an extremely important one, considering
thatitrepresentsarecognition ofthepersonalorprofessionalcontribution madebycertain
individuals.
As I come to the end of my academic studies, I feel the need to utter a few words of
thanks to the various people who supported me on this path that is life, where the journey,
not the destination, is what counts.
I will start by praising the role played by the Faculty of Sciences and Technology
of NOVA University of Lisbon, specifically the welcome it provided, the atmosphere it
promotes on its campus, and the working conditions it offers.
A place of learning is characterised not only by its students but also by its teachers.
All the teaching staff with whom I had the opportunity to interact deserve a sincere
word of thanks, for their capacity to transfer the knowledge I acquired and the cordial
relationships they establish with the students.
I should highlight the role of Prof. Dr. Hugo Gamboa and Prof. Dr. Carla Quintão,
who, as my mentors, supported, stimulated and challenged me constantly, removing ob-
stacles that arose during the investigative process, while establishing themselves as huge
sources of knowledge and experience.
In addition, Prof. Dr. Claúdia Quaresma gave me some essential tips during the
process of submitting the experimental protocol to the Ethical Council, and I am most
grateful for her time.
Along with my mentors, Engineer João Rodrigues was always present and available to
help me steer my work in the right direction, establishing a very warm relationship that
enabled a vast amount of learning, particularly during the data-processing stages of the
project.
Furthermore, the close partnership with Plux Wireless Biosignals proved to be ex-
tremely useful, allowing me to develop in many ways and to experience a business en-
vironment, something which students typically only have access once their course has
ended.
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ImustthankallthestaffatPlux forthehealthyenvironmentthatistypicalofanormal
working day at this company, for all their prompt answers to my questions and for the
lessons they taught me.
In particular, I wish to thank André Lemos, who was the trigger for this project, and
from whom I received, with a contagious liking, constant guidance and important updates
about the world of recreational and top-level sport.
I would also like to mention the various members of the software team, consisting
of Engineers Rui Freixo, Maria Magalhães, Gonçalo Telo and Carlos Azevedo, and the
specialist in the clinical field Catarina Oliveira, for their availability to help me.
In the secondhalfofthe projectI hadthe opportunityto workwithMiquelAlfaras and
MiguelThomas. Thisinteractionhadasignificantimpactonmyfinalresults, bothbecause
of the work and advice they shared with me and because of the constructive conversations
we had. I hope this word of thanks is only the beginning of my retribution.
The partnership established with the Laboratory of Motor Behaviour of the Faculty
of Human Kinetics of the University of Lisbon, through his coordinator Prof. Dr. Pedro
Pezarat and members Prof. Dr. Gonçalo Mendonça and Dr. João Vaz, was extremely
importantforthe physiologicalperspective includedin mythesis, enhancing myknowledge.
I am also very grateful for the pilot acquisitions that were ceded by these elements,
constituting a contribute with inestimable value for the development of the project.
However, the academic and professional side of day-to-day life only functions well if
supported by a rewarding and comforting personal side. I must therefore pay tribute to
the individuals who have been instrumental to my happiness today and who have given
me the hope that I will continue to be so in their company.
From a chronological point of view, everything has a beginning and, in this case, the
beginning starts with my four grandparents, that I have always remembered fondly and
from whom I received positive lessons.
Fortunately, I still have the chance to keep learning from my grandfather Joaquim,
who, at the age of 90, is a source of inspiration and vitality. I would even go so far as to
say that he has displayed more joviality than me in my 24 years.
The generational journey continues with my parents. They, more than anyone, put up
with my uncertainty and supported me unconditionally, teaching me that sometimes we
need to fall in order to learn how to get up, although with my mother and father all of my
falls were controlled, just like a child’s first bike ride.
Both fought quite to ensure that I was always well, and I am happy to know that I can
continue to receive their care and advice in the future, because come what may, I know
that I will always be able to count on them “to infinity and beyond”.
Also in terms of family, I should stress the role which my godfather, Luís, played and
continues to play, by giving me two great joys during my time at the faculty, with the
birth of my cousins Gonzalo and Tiago. I hope that through them I can repay him for
what he has done for me.
viii
With regard to friends, which I genuinely consider to be an extension of family, I must
recall my oldest and most recent ones, with whom I hope my friendship lasts forever, or,
given my age and average life expectancy, for at least more fifty years.
A huge thank you to João, Pedro and Manuel. I am always yearning for our cinema
trips, board games and memorable conversations, because they allow me to remember the
good times we have spent together over fourteen years and plan the future.
Inrespectofmymorerecentfriends,IshouldsaythatallthepeopleIhadthepleasureof
meeting in myyears atthe facultymeanta lotto me on a personallevel, andunfortunately
I cannot list them all here.
In the early (and turbulent) phase, I formed a quartet with Ana Duarte, Beatriz
Valpradinhos and Helena Piteira. Our friendships began on the very first day and I hope
to preserve them as time goes on.
There was a transitional period between the turbulence and academic stability, having
some persons been particularly important for initiating or at least contributing towards
the paradigm shift: Inês Barros and Filipa Correia, with whom I had the opportunity to
work, and who helped me settle in, for which I am grateful.
I have one special mention left for Bilena Almeida and Sara Russo, with whom I
established incredible friendships of an exponential nature, since they started slowly and
grew at an uncontrollable pace. Sometimes I am quite slow person, but in this respect, I
will do everything I can to keep up with this pace.
Finally, leaving behind the human world, I would like to make one final acknowledge-
ment. I hope readers don’t consider it belittling to those mentioned above, but I could
not forget my four-legged friends. Unfortunately, many of them have already left us, but
they live on my memory: Pluto, Pânico, Tareca, Buster and Gala – lots of petting for all
the happy and unexpected moments they gave me.
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