Equipment of the Physical Education and Exercise Laboratory
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- Last Updated: Saturday, 06 April 2013 23:27
The Physical Education and Exercise Laboratory owns a significant body of equipment comprised of hi-tech scientific instruments that serve the training and research needs of the Department. This equipment includes:
- Ergospirometer: This is used to measure oxygen uptake and resting metabolism, as well as to estimate the proportion of carbohydrates and fats that are metabolised during rest and submaximal exercise.
- Anthropometric instruments: These include a stadiometer, weighing scale, aesthesiometers and measuring diameters for the measurement of torso and limb circumferences in order to evaluate morphological indexes and to determinate the somatogram of the subjects being examined.
- Precision Scale (Kern): A special scale for weight measurement of micro amounts (mg precision) of chemical materials and tissue.
- Screen master automatic biochemical analyzer: This is used for quantitative analysis, mobility analysis such as enzyme mobility, fixed time analysis and multistandard assays.
- Professional video-cameras: These are used for video recording of sports events as well as other research activities of the laboratory.
- Burst induction device: This is a system that measures the electric conductance of body tissues which is used for estimation purposes of body fat and body composition.
- Vortex or Stirrer (Velp): These are three devices used for stirring various solutions in order to ensure that better mixing to be achieved.
- Skinfold caliper: This is an instrument for measuring the thickness of body skinfolds in order to estimate body fat and body composition.
- "Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency" (BOT): This is used for measurement and evaluation of motor performance and growth of children between 4 1/2 and 14 1/2 years old.
- Test of motor proficiency for ages 4-6: This is used for measurement and evaluation of motor performance and growth of children between 4 and 6 years old.
- Hand dynamometer: This is a portable instrument used to evaluate the maximum static-isometric force of the arms. n Equipment for treating symptoms during the acute stage of an injury.
- Diathermies: A BOSCH shortwave diathermy device and an ERBE microwave diathermy device. These devices achieve a rise in deep tissue temperature and multiply natural blood circulation by ten, by means of electromagnetic waves.
- Ultrasound: An EST 301 A. ultrasound device. Ultrasound produces mechanical vibration in the tissue.
- Ergojump system: This is used for various jump methods in order to evaluate force, anaerobic performance, neural stimulation and elastic as well as reflex functions of leg muscles under laboratory or non-laboratory conditions.
- Treadmill: This is used for evaluation of aerobic power and capacity during running.
- Cycle ergometer: This is used for evaluation of aerobic and anaerobic capacity.
- Wingate cycling test: A system comprised of software and a cycle ergometer attached with sensors for evaluation of anaerobic power.
- Biodex Stability System: This system evaluates the myoneural control of a person by estimating the ability to maintain stability on an unstable surface, the stability platform, which has 8 different stability levels.
- Computers: These are used for recording observation data in recording and analysis systems for activities concerning technique and tactics. Each one of these systems (Vicas & Video As) has been installed on the respective computer.
- Cybex 6000 isokinetic dynamometer (Testing and Rehabilitation System): This is used to evaluate muscular performance of all basic muscle groups as well as for strength exercises during recovery.
- Isometric dynamometer: This is used in order measure the maximum isometric force of the torso and legs by means of an electronic sensor (Globus Ergo Meter).
- Heart rate monitors (Polar): A transmitter-receiver/timer system which records the heart rate during exercise. The data can be transferred to a computer by means of special data processing software.
- Freezer unit: This is used for cooling serum or plasma specimens or other tissues up to -80A C.
- Kinaesthiometer (Lafayette Instruments Co., Lafayette, IN): This device evaluates control over movements through a procedure where the subject, who is in a sitting position, is asked to stretch out a limb to a certain angle (termination point) and then return it to its initial position (0A).
- Rowing ergometer (Concept II): This is used for the evaluation of aerobic and anaerobic performance of rowers and athletes in similar sports.
- Magnetic stirrers: These are two devices used for simultaneous stirring and heating of solutions.
- pΠ counter: This is used for estimating the acidity and alkalinity of a solution of certain volume.
- Evaluation instruments for mobility and flexibility:
- Electronic goniometer
- Flexometer (Sit and reach)
- Exercise instruments for recovery after an injury:
- Isokinetic ergobicycle Cybex Metabolic Systems
- Arm-ergobicycle, Technogym Top XT, cross training
- Ergorunning Technogym Run XT, cross training
- Free weights
- Blood pressure meter (with wheels, as well as stable): This is used for measuring arterial pressure in state of relaxation as well as during exercise.
- Movement recording and kinematic analysis system: The recording and kinematic analysis system records all athletic movements independent of their speed, calculating the kinematic parameters of the movement (space, time, velocity, acceleration).
- Motor analysis – dynamographing system: This system includes a piezo-electric pressure sensitive floor, analog/digital card and a computer with the necessary software. The system records the reaction of the floor and its torque in three dimensions as well as the coordinates of the pressure point.
- Foot pressure measurement system: This system includes two pairs of different sized soles, equipped with mechanical pressure sensors, a regulation system, analog/digital card, and a computer with the necessary software. The system records and analyzes the pressure on the feet during stasis and motion.
- Myoneural evaluation system (Muscle Lab, Model PFMA 3010e, Ergotest A.S, Langensund, Norway): This system records the velocity of movements, the force and power produced by the load shift of free weights along with recording the electromyographic activity of muscles in motion and change of angle of the body parts. There can also be measurements of tachydynamic performance, isometric force, muscular endurance and jumping performance.
- Newtest photocell and pressure sensitive floor system: This system includes six photocells, a special pressure sensitive floor, microcomputer and printer for estimation of speed, vertical jump, ability to store elastic power, flexibility, time of reaction and limb muscular strength.
- Timing system: This system includes six photocells and an electronic timer which records the duration of movements and estimates their average speed.
- Remote controls: These devices are used in order to show a sports event at different speeds and multiple replays so that the recording of phases and actions becomes possible.
- Professional tripods (with wheels): These are used for supporting the camera for proper video recording and quick movement to other parts of the field when necessary.
- Laboratory bath: This is used in biochemical analysis to increase the temperature of reactants to a level suitable for measuring metabolite concentration.
- Spectrophotometer: This is used for measuring metabolite and enzyme concentration in various tissues of the body.
- Portable centrifuge, Lab Ware K-30: This is used for separating blood into a red precipitate mainly containing red cells and a yellow floating fluid called serum or plasma depending on the method of blood collection. Centrifugation may last from 1 to 15 minutes (1,000-6,000 rpm).
- Centrifuge: This device includes the main body of the centrifuge and a head with space for 16 blood sample tubes, separating plasma from blood cells, as well as a head for centrifugation of microhaematocrit for haematocrit measurement.
- Photometer ELISA ELX- 800 universal Microplate Reader: This is a biochemical analyser for estimation of hormones and biomolecules using the ELISA method.
- Refrigerator: This is used for preserving reactants.
- Cooled centrifuge from Hettich Zentrifugen: This is used for separating material or mixtures with a maximum density of 1.2 kg/dm3. It is cooled and it can maintain a stable temperature during the whole centrifugation procedure.
- AV MASTER: This is a montage system used for selection of pieces of recorded sport events due to be analysed (conversion into digital format) and combining them when necessary.
- Bassin Anticipation Timer (Lafayette Instruments): This device evaluates the ability to synchronise human movement with moving stimuli.
- Electric Depth Perception Tester (Takei Scientific Instruments, Tokyo, Japan): This device evaluates the perception of depth when watching a bar move forward or backward with a speed of 50 mm/sec. The subject has to push a button as soon as he/she realizes that the specific bar is aligned with the other two. The error is recorded as the absolute distance from each bar, aligned or not.
- Long pin insertion tester: This device evaluates the dexterity of wrist and fingers.
- Monitors: These show images-phases due to be analysed.
- Line tracking device: This device evaluates the speed and precision of movement of wrist and fingers.
- Stability platform (Lafayette Instruments): This evaluates dynamic equilibrium.
- Vicas & Video As: These are two electronic systems used to record and analyse actions of sport events concerning technique and tactics.
- Professional video: This is used in montage for digitalisation and reception of images from analog tape before copying of edited images-phases again to analog tape.
- High standard Video: This is used for image reproduction on a monitor. Every Video device is connected with an electronic system for recording and analysing action concerning technique and tactics (Vicas & Video As).
- Vienna Test System:
- Reaction test software: This software evaluates the simple reaction time to an optical or sound stimuli as well as discrimination and choice reaction time.
- Continuous attention software: This software evaluates reaction time in a state of attention, and the number of right answers.
- Whole Body Reaction Timer (Tukei Instruments): This device evaluates the movement of the athlete's body in four directions in response to an abrupt appearance of optical stimuli on a special table. Reaction time and duration of movement per direction are recorded.
