A Verifiable Methodological Framework for Designing an Instrumented Smart Parallel Bars Apparatus to Estimate the Most Probable Source of Technical Errors

Abstract

This is a design and methodological study that tackles a common issue when analysing the skills performed at parallel bars in the sport of artistic gymnastics – errors noted in the landing phase do not necessarily indicate the time at which the disturbance occurred. This mistake can be caused by support, swinging, lack of push-off, timing of releasing, tucking or opening. Thus, the paper suggests a framework of a testable and buildable instrumented research parallel bars apparatus which can be adjusted electronically only before the event and includes rail load/motion, high speed video and force platforms under the landing mat all on one time line. The goal is to assess the earliest possible signal that is consistent with the observed error, in the technical stage, based on temporal precedence, mechanical consistency, recurrence across trials, good data quality, and video/expert agreement, but not to make claims of causality. The design allows the gymnast load path to be separated from the electrical gymnast adjustment system with spring loaded mechanical locks and secondary safety pins. It defines initial measurement channels, quality gates, operational evidence-weighting principles, safety requirements and a staircased validation procedure. The start with the somersault double front, tuck, is applied to phase segmentation and to the candidate indicators. Since a 20 cm landing mat not only dampens and propagates information of the impact, center of pressure is only considered a macro-indicator of the landing area and not to reconstruct foot level pressure. Future validation tests are proposed to be conducted by bench calibration, non-human safety testing, content validity assessment, feasibility (reliability) testing and a feasibility sequence A1-B1-B2-A2-T testing after prototype and ethical approval. No claims regarding human performance, diagnostic accuracy or regulatory approval or competitive readiness are made in the present paper. The catch is, where evidence is lacking, this adds a new element of auditable chronological chain of mechanical evidence, instead of just endpoint error interpretation.