Verification and Evaluation of a Visual Reaction System for Badminton Training

Abstract

The two aims of this study were (1) designing and developing an affordable visual reaction system for badminton training that monitors and provides instant feedback on agility; and (2) to measure and improve the footwork and movement of badminton players and output useful reference data. Ten junior high school badminton players were invited to serve as the subjects of this study. They participated in a three-week (nine sessions) training program. Training was primarily in the form of fixed or random footwork drills. Timed tests were performed before and after each session to measure the players’ agility in performing six-point and four-point footwork drills. The results were compared to the training effects calculated using dependent-sample t-tests. In addition, the long-term durability and functionality of the training system were tested. The training system was able to maintain stable and reliable training and evaluation operations for extended periods. Results showed significant improvements in the visual reaction time (p = 0.003) and agility (p = 0.001) of players. The proposed training system is an affordable option for training and monitoring, evaluating, and recording training performance. It can accurately record movement and response times and simulate competitive environments.

Improving Special Ability Performance of Badminton Players through a Visual Reaction Training System

“…In accordance with the methodology of another study [ 3 ], the VRTS used in the present study mainly comprised a programmable logic controller and a human–machine interface. The RS232 communication protocol was used for data transmission, image conversion was conducted through the HMI, and a sequential function chart was used to write the internal syntax.…”

“…The hardware devices comprised an infrared sensor module, light-emitting diode (LED) lights equipped with multicore control cables, and wireless I/O modules with a maximum transmission range of 100 m. Radio signals were transmitted through globally shared frequency bands between 2400 and 2480 MHz to send various types of data (e.g., trend analysis charts and time parameters) as feedback for coaches and players. The devices were tested using interclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and demonstrated to exhibit high reliability and validity (ICC = 0.95) [ 3 ].…”

“…Prior to the pretest, midtest, and posttest as well as each training session, each player was asked to perform static stretching of a specific intensity followed by a dynamic warm up to ensure that they effectively warmed up their neuromuscular system and to minimize the risk of neuromuscular injury. The present study developed a training schedule by revising the training schedule used by Kuo et al [ 3 ]. The content of the agility training for the footwork movements is presented in Table 1 .…”

“…Numerous studies have investigated the footwork and movements of badminton players, and their findings have been combined with sports science and technology in recent years and widely applied in badminton training. In one study, accelerators were used to obtain the step-related data of players during step training, and a quantitative analysis of average and maximum speeds was performed to effectively assess the speed and state of their movements to adequately improve their agility and overall athletic performance [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]. Badminton involves shots that require speed and explosive strength combined with agile footwork and movements that are applied tactically, and it has become a popular racket sport that is extensively developed worldwide [ 5 ].…”

“…Research has revealed a significant correlation between athletic performance and the agility of footwork movements [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]. Traditionally, agility was simply defined as the speed with directional changes [ 7 ].…”