Universities Masters World Cup Soccer:integrated sports science research and implementation of an international masters soccer community

Ageing populations with greater wellness and athletic expectations require quality sports and active living experiences in order to increase and sustain participation levels. Responding to the diverse needs and circumstances of Masterslveterans players is a complex and multi-faceted process. While sports science contributions have been very effective at enhancing active living in a variety of youth and adult sports events, very little has been documented regarding their efficacy in events for Masterslveteran players. This paper draws upon action research to examine the growth and development of a unique Masters World Cup 6-0-side Soccer Tournament, involving representative teams from twelve nations. lntegrated sports science concepts and strategies were employed to develop quality soccer experiences. Longitudinal data suggest that fostering a community of practice is critical to the success of Masters soccer programs. In addition to critical leadership contributions, an eclectic range of age-appropriate and responsive soccer experiences are essential to ensure that Masters events meet the diverse needs and circumstances of the players.

Soccer, South Africa and celebrity status:Mark Fish, popular culture and the post-apartheid state

The rise of celebrity culture is a theme that has attracted a significant amount of attention within both mainstream sociology and cultural studies in more recent times. Ensuing debate has identified contemporary sports figures as an important facet of the celebrity‐media nexus and as possible signifiers of cultural change. In this paper we take one particular sports celebrity, South African soccer star Mark Fish, and evaluate his image in relation to debates surrounding sport, politics and the post‐apartheid state. We argue that because Fish appears to enjoy all the benefits of celebrity status (within his home country at least), an analysis of his career and identity provide a useful means by which to think about the changing political and nationalistic values within South African society.

Verification of the indoor GPS system, by comparison with calibrated coordinates and by angular reference

This paper details work carried out to verify the dimensional measurement performance of the Indoor GPS (iGPS) system; a network of Rotary-Laser Automatic Theodolites (R-LATs). Initially tests were carried out to determine the angular uncertainties on an individual R-LAT transmitter-receiver pair. A method is presented of determining the uncertainty of dimensional measurement for a three dimensional coordinate measurement machine. An experimental procedure was developed to compare three dimensional coordinate measurements with calibrated reference points. The reference standard used to calibrate these reference points was a fringe counting interferometer with the multilateration technique employed to establish three dimensional coordinates. This is an extension of the established technique of comparing measured lengths with calibrated lengths. The method was found to be practical and able to establish that the expanded uncertainty of the basic iGPS system was approximately 1 mm at a 95% confidence level. Further tests carried out on a highly optimized version of the iGPS system have shown that the coordinate uncertainty can be reduced to 0.25 mm at a 95% confidence level.

A comparison of two distributed large-volume measurement systems:the mobile spatial co-ordinate measuring system and the indoor global positioning system

Advances in the area of industrial metrology have generated new technologies that are capable of measuring components with complex geometry and large dimensions. However, no standard or best-practice guides are available for the majority of such systems. Therefore, these new systems require appropriate testing and verification in order for the users to understand their full potential prior to their deployment in a real manufacturing environment. This is a crucial stage, especially when more than one system can be used for a specific measurement task. In this paper, two relatively new large-volume measurement systems, the mobile spatial co-ordinate measuring system (MScMS) and the indoor global positioning system (iGPS), are reviewed. These two systems utilize different technologies: the MScMS is based on ultrasound and radiofrequency signal transmission and the iGPS uses laser technology. Both systems have components with small dimensions that are distributed around the measuring area to form a network of sensors allowing rapid dimensional measurements to be performed in relation to large-size objects, with typical dimensions of several decametres. The portability, reconfigurability, and ease of installation make these systems attractive for many industries that manufacture large-scale products. In this paper, the major technical aspects of the two systems are briefly described and compared. Initial results of the tests performed to establish the repeatability and reproducibility of these systems are also presented. © IMechE 2009.

Evaluation on a 60 GHz radio over fiber system employing photonic up conversion and optically beam formed linear array antenna for broadband indoor access

In this study, two linear coplanar array antennas based on Indium Phosphide (InP) substrate are designed, presented and compared in terms of bandwidth and gain. Slot introduction in combination with coplanar structure is investigated, providing enhanced antenna gain and bandwidth at the 60 GHz frequency band. In addition the proposed array antennas are evaluated in terms of integration with a high-speed photodiode and investigated in terms of matching, providing a bandwidth that reaches 2 GHz. Moreover a potential beam forming scenario combined with photonic up-conversion scheme has been proposed. © 2013 IEEE.

Verification of the indoor gps system by comparison with points calibrated using a network of laser tracker measurements

This paper details a method of determining the uncertainty of dimensional measurement for a three dimensional coordinate measurement machine. An experimental procedure was developed to compare three dimensional coordinate measurements with calibrated reference points. The reference standard used to calibrate these reference points was a fringe counting interferometer with the multilateration technique employed to establish three dimensional coordinates. This is an extension of the established technique of comparing measured lengths with calibrated lengths. Specifically a distributed coordinate measurement device was tested which consisted of a network of Rotary-Laser Automatic Theodolites (R-LATs), this system is known commercially as indoor GPS (iGPS). The method was found to be practical and able to establish that the expanded uncertainty of the basic iGPS system was approximately 1 mm at a 95% confidence level. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010.