Finding a boot that fits comfortably in a ski rental shop can be a difficult and tedious task for many people. Having properly fitting boots is important to prevent injuries in the user and reduce the risk of accidents happening on the mountain. The goal of this master thesis was to develop a tool that could make it easier for the customers in a ski rental shop to find the right boot for them. This was done by first sending out surveys to students at LTU and Swedish rental stores and interviewing rental store staff. It was found that a lot of the students don’t want to take the time to properly test their boots in the shop and that the staff don’t feel like they have the time to properly measure and fit every customer with a proper set of boots. It was theorised that making the measuring of the foot easier, faster, and more thorough would increase the chances of customers finding the right set of boots. The measurements that need to be taken for a proper boot matching to be made were found to be foot length, foot width, instep height, and calf volume. Through a design process combining a convergent/divergent and an iterative phase a tool that can take these measurements was designed and developed. The tool is a sock with built in stretch sensors that align themselves on the user’s foot in the correct places as the user puts on the sock. With a microcontroller the sock takes the measurements and sends them wirelessly to a screen that is placed in the store making it easy for the user to read the measurements. On the screen the user can also see what boot they are recommended to rent based on the measurements and book them directly on the screen.

Förståelsen för användarnas behov är i centrum för att kunna utveckla produkter som är välanpassade för användarna. Skidutrustning är generellt definierad av sina funktioner, användbarhet och sin prestanda och därför är dess utveckling till stor grad styrd av teknik. Hur företag går tillväga för att uppfylla användarnas behov ser olika ut från företag till företag. Forskning kring olika metoder för användarinvolvering görs för att kunna ta fram produkter som på bästa sätt uppfyller användarens behov. Syftet med denna studie är att studera hur användarna involveras i produktutvecklingsprocessen för skidutrustning. Undersöka vilka metoder företagen använder för att involvera användarna och under vilka faser de involveras, samt att erhålla information om hur denna data bearbetas och hur den används i produktutvecklingsprocessen. Studien analyserar hur olika skidföretag i Norden integrerar användarna i sina utvecklingsprocesser och diskuterar sedan dess fördelar, nackdelar och konsekvenser. En litteraturstudie gjordes för att ta fram en teoretisk referensram. Fyra olika skidföretag i Norden som producerar alpinskidor intervjuades utifrån en intervjuguide som tagits fram för att svara på studiens frågeställningar. Därefter transkriberades intervjuerna, nyckelord hittades och sex stycken teman togs fram. Dessa teman är; under vilken fas användaren involveras, fördelar, utmaningar, val av användare, val av metod för användarinvolvering och grad av användarinvolvering. Alla företagens likheter och olikheter analyserades och jämfördes mot varandra och mot litteraturen under dessa sex teman, därefter kunde slutsatser dras under alla dessa teman. Studien kom fram till att prototyptestning är viktig för produktutvecklingen enligt samtliga intervjuade företag. Användarna kan utöver prototyptestning involveras på flera sätt och till högre samt lägre grad, det är också möjligt att användarna inte involveras utöver prototyptestning. Samtliga företag ansåg att de involverar användarna så mycket som de tycker är passande och möjligt för produkten som utvecklas. När företagen jämfördes mot varandra visade det sig att graden och metoden av användarinvolvering varierade mycket. Trots att de delar samma syn gällande att användarinvolvering är gynnsamt för utvecklingen av produkter. Det spekulerades kring paralleller mellan företagens framgång samt grad av användarinvolvering men inga tydliga slutsatser kunde dras. / In today's society, it is inevitable that the need for users' inputs are increasingly utilized by companies. Understanding the users' needs and wishes is at the center of being able to develop products that are well adapted to the users. Research on different methods is available in many different business areas as there are several examples of its profitability. Ski equipment is generally defined by its features, usability, durability and performance, therefore is its development largely governed by technology. The origin and purpose of this study is to investigate how the users are involved in the ski manufacturing business area. This study explores different methods for user involvement and seeks to understand how different degrees of user involvement are used in practice relative to the literature. This study further analyzes how different ski companies in the Nordic countries integrate users into their product development process and investigates its advantages, disadvantages and consequences. A literature study was conducted to develop a theoretical reference framework composed by various theories that had previously been researched. Thereafter, four different ski companies who produce alpine skis in the Nordic countries were interviewed based on an interview guide that had been developed to answer the research questions. Subsequently, the interviews were transcribed, keywords were traced, six themes were developed and studied in more detail. These themes are; the product developments phases, benefits, challenges, choice of user for the development process, choice of method for user involvement and degree of user involvement. All the companies' similarities and differences were analyzed within the six themes and conclusions were drawn under all of the themes. This study displayed that prototype testing is important for the product development process and is used by all interviewed companies. In addition to prototype testing, users could be involved in more ways and to greater extents. The interviewed companies showed similarities when users were involved in prototype testings but in retrospect, differences in choice of methods and degree of user involvement was immensely varied between the companies. All the companies felt that they involved the users as much as they thought fit and was possible for the product to develop. However, when the companies were compared to each other, it turned out that the degree of user involvement varied greatly. Parallels between the companies' success and degree of user involvement are speculated but no clear conclusions could be drawn.

Mechatronic Ski Bindings are the most promising technical solution to reduce knee injuries in alpine skiing. The key to a successful system is the algorithm controlling the bindings adaption of the retention values. A fuzzy controller has advantages compared to classical controllers due to missing information about injury mechanisms and the complex dynamics of the skier. We present a controller structure and test it using the injury case reported in the literature. / Mechatronische Skibindungen sind die vielversprechendste technische Lösung zur Reduzierung von Knieverletzungen im alpinen Skisport. Der Schlüssel zu einem erfolgreichen System ist der Algorithmus, der die Anpassung der Bindungen an die Haltewerte steuert. Ein Fuzzy-Regler hat Vorteile gegenüber klassischen Reglern, da Informationen über Verletzungsmechanismen und die komplexe Dynamik des Skifahrers fehlen. Wir stellen eine Reglerstruktur vor und testen sie anhand eines in der Literatur beschriebenen Verletzungsfalls.

Thèse numérisée par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

This diploma thesis deals with the influence of the school ski training course on the physical, mental and social aspects of the development of younger and older pupils. It seeks to interpret the gained experience, the degree of pupil development in the given areas, the observations and feelings of the students who have recently completed the course. part we deal with the history of skiing, regularities in individual age categories, suitable ski equipment for children, ski training and the school ski course itself. We also dealt with current environmental problems as well as hippokinesis and its consequences. For the research part we used the questionnaire as a research method. We work with pupils in grammar school in the the Czech Republic. Key words downhill skiing, ski training course, elementary school, pupil development, younger school age, older school age

Die zentimetergenaue satellitengestützte Positionierung hat in den letzten Jahren immer größere Verbreitung in den verschiedensten Bereichen gefunden. In der Literatur wird von ersten Anwendungen auch in der Sportwissenschaft berichtet. Für höchste Genauigkeitsanforderungen werden geodätische GPS-Empfänger und Antennen eingesetzt, deren Anbringung an Athleten aufgrund ihrer Masse und ihres Volumens jedoch problematisch erscheinen.Ausgehend von den Möglichkeiten, die miniaturisierte Elektronik heute bietet, wurde für die Anwendung im Skispringen ein spezieller GPS-Empfänger entwickelt, der komplett in einen Sprunghelm integriert werden konnte. Damit entstehen nur minimale Beeinträchtigungen im Training. Der untersuchte Athlet benutzt anstatt seines eigenen Helms den Messhelm. Die topographische Lage der Schanzen bewirkt größere Abschattungen der Satellitensignale, sodass GPS-Messungen nicht auf jeder Schanze und zu jeder Tageszeit möglich sind. Die Anzahl gleichzeitig beobachtbarer Satelliten ist vergleichsweise gering. Zentimetergenaue Positionen können zudem nur nach erfolgreicher Mehrdeutigkeitsfestsetzung erzeugt werden. Gängige GPS-Berechnungsalgorithmen gehen dabei unter anderem von der Voraussetzung ausreichend langer und unterbrechungsfreier Messungen aus, die mit der nutzbaren Zeitspanne von 10-20 Sekunden für Anlauf, Absprung, Flug und Landung jedoch nicht erfüllt werden kann. Deshalb wurde ein laserbasiertes Lichtschrankensystem entwickelt, mit dem Passpunktinformationen für den GPSHelm beim Absprung vom Schanzentisch erzeugt werden können. Diese Informationen fließen in die GPS-Trägerphasenauswertung ein und sorgen für eine hohe Genauigkeit und Zuverlässigkeit der Mehrdeutigkeitsfestsetzung. Der gesamte Sprung kann so zentimetergenau bestimmt werden. Im Rahmen von Trainingslehrgängen wurden Messungen gemeinsam mit kinemetrischen und dynamometrischen Untersuchungen durchgeführt und erfolgreich ausgewertet. Anhand dieser Ergebnisse wurde dargelegt, welche vielfältigen Informationen in Geschwindigkeits- und Ortskurven für Anlauf-, Absprung- und Flugphase enthalten sind. / Carrier phase based GPS applications with centimeter accuracy have become more popular over the last years, not only in surveying. First investigations are accomplished in sports sciences as well. However, most geodetic GPS equipment is too large and too heavy for attaching it at the athletes body. Using the potential of miniaturized electronics, a special GPS receiver for ski jumping was developed. The hardware could be integrated completely into a common jumping helmet. Striving to an ideal measurement system with no influence on the athlete activities only little adverse effects remain on the athletes using the GPS-helmet. The topography of jumping hills results in a more or less shadowing of the GPS satellite signals. Not all jumping hills are applicable for GPS measurements. Measurement campaigns need to be well planned considering satellite constellation issues. Centimeter accuracy requires successful integer ambiguity fixing. Common algorithms assume uninterrupted signal reception over a sufficient long time. But the 10 ?20 seconds for an attempt, take-off, flight and landing are not long enough. Thus a laser light barrier array was developed. It determines position and time of the GPS-helmet during athletes take-off from the ramp. This information enables the ambiguity fixing and enhances accuracy and reliability of the solution, even for short GPS measurement segments. The system was successfully tested during some training sessions of german ski jumpers. It was shown which informations can be derived from positions and velocities for several phases of a jump.

Thèse numérisée par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

II existe de nombreuses études mettant en relation le vieillissement et le stress oxydant, mais peu d'entre elles ont caractérisé l'évolution des marqueurs des défenses antioxydantes, notamment au niveau cutané, au cours du vieillissement dit extrinsèque ou environnemental.Nous avons cherché à mimer in vitro le vieillissement extrinsèque cutané, à partir d'un modèle de cellules épidermiques en culture, la lignée de kératinocytes humains HaCaT, soumises à un stress chimique, l'exposition au glyphosate, un principe actif entrant dans la composition de nombreuses formulations pesticides. Ainsi, nous avons exploré notre modèle par une approche multi-échelle originale et innovante: tout d'abord, à l'échelle moléculaire, par une étude protéomique quantitative différentielle des taux d'expression protéique intracytosolique suite à l'induction du stress ; puis, à l'échelle cellulaire en cytomètrie en flux, par la caractérisation fonctionnelle du stress oxydant et de la mort cellulaire qui en découle ; enfin, à l'échelle micro- et nanométrique, en microscopie confocale et à force atomique, par le suivi de l'évolution des propriétés morphologiques et viscoélastiques des kératinocytes stressés.Ce travail de thèse a démontré que le glyphosate altérait signifïcativement l'état et la fonction barrière de l'épiderme humain, ciblant notamment les kératinocytes, dont l'équipement moléculaire et les fonctions vitales d'adhérence et de dynamique membranaire se retrouvent fondamentalement dégradées. L'ensemble de ces résultats constitue un « tableau » qui évoque parfaitement les événements, les signaux et les comportements cellulaires s'installant au cours du vieillissement cutané. / Numerous studies relate ageing to oxidative stress. Few of them described thé évolution of markers of antioxidant défenses, in particular at thé cutaneous level, during extrinsic or environmental ageing. We tried to mimic in vitro cutaneous extrinsic ageing, with a model of epidermic cells in culture, thé human kératinocytes cell line HaCaT, subjected to a chemical stress, Glyphosate, an active ingrédient présent in thé composition of numerous pesticide formulations. Indeed, we examined thé effects of induced ageing in thé loss of kératinocytes integrity in culture, by an original and innovative multi-scale approach: Firstly, at thé molecular scale, we assessed thé stress induced modifications of intracytosolic protein expression by a differential quantitative proteomic study; then, at thé .cellular scale, with flow cytometry, by thé functional characterization of thé oxidative stress and resulting cell death; fmally, at thé micro- and nanoscale, with confocal and atomic force microscopy by thé following thé évolution of morphological and viscoelastic properties of stressed kératinocytes. This PhD work demonstrated that glyphosate impaired thé state and thé barrier function of thé human skin, in particular by fundamentally impairing kératinocytes through thé molecular equipment, thé vital adhésion fonctions and membrane dynamics. Ail thèse results give us a global image of events, signais and cell behavior occurring in skin aging.

This thesis work describes the hiking, bicycle, ski, and horse trails in the region known as ?Czech Canada?, specifically the area between Nová Bystřice, Kunžák, and Slavonice marked on the hiking map ?Česká Kanada a Slavonicko? on a 1:50,000 scale. The introductory chapters characterize the territorial layout from the physical-geographic and socio-geographic aspects and include an analysis of used literature. The methodology of work is taken from thesis works of a similar topic defended at the Department of Geography. This is followed by a description of individual hiking trails ? in text form as well as in information panels (this includes information on the surface type, the surrounding landscape, monuments in the area, geometry of the trails, and more). These texts, panels, and attached map with a drawing of the described trails permit one to embark on individual hiking, bicycle, ski, and other tourist journeys. The conclusion of the work is supplemented by a didactic transformation of the resolved issue. The attachment consists of photographs and a glossary of topographical terms.

This graduation theses describes walk, cyclist, ski-ing and waterman{\crq}s tourist roads and educational trails in the Novohradské Mountains, its highlands and in part of the Třeboňská basin {--} in the territory demarked by tourist map {\clqq}Novohradské Mountains``, from edition Club of czech tourists, in ratio scale 1:50 000. Particular roads are described in text and in general tables, whereby is possible easy reproach the character of mentioned tourist roads. Methodology of work, which was taken over from D. Bobrová (2002) and description of particular tourist roads, is a substantial part of graduation theses. Introductory chapters specify the respective area from physical-geographic and social-geographic point of view. The appendix is formed by gazetteer, which processed D. Bobrová (2002) and by graphic part, formed by photographies.