Sprint start instrumentation

Author

Gander, R.E. ; McClements, J.D. ; Sanderson, L.K. ; Rostad, B.A. ; Josephson, K.E. ; Pratt, A.J.

Author_Institution

Div. of Biomed. Eng., Saskatchewan Univ., Saskatoon, Sask., Canada

Volume

43

Issue

4

fYear

1994

fDate

8/1/1994 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

637

Lastpage

643

Abstract

A prototype instrument has been developed to measure the forces generated on the starting blocks and the speed of a sprinter at the start of a sprint event. The starting block forces can be resolved into horizontal and vertical components for each foot, or the various combinations of these four forces can be calculated and displayed along with the resultant angle. The speed of the sprinter is measured by means of a Doppler microwave technique (radar gun). Both static and dynamic tests have been used to calibrate the force transducers and to verify their functional bandwidth. The speed measurement technique has been validated by four independent procedures: measurement of a constant velocity object; measurement of an object undergoing constant acceleration; determination of distance travelled by an athlete; and comparison with high-speed cinematography. Both the force and speed profiles can be displayed immediately on the screen of a microcomputer for feedback to the coach and athlete during training sessions

Keywords

biological techniques and instruments; biomechanics; calibration; computerised instrumentation; force measurement; microcomputer applications; microwave measurement; radar applications; sport; transducers; velocity measurement; Doppler microwave technique; calibration; constant acceleration; constant velocity object; distance; dynamic tests; force profiles; force transducers; functional bandwidth; high-speed cinematography; horizontal components; microcomputer; radar gun; speed measurement; speed profiles; sprint start instrumentation; starting block forces; static tests; training; vertical components; Doppler radar; Foot; Force feedback; Force measurement; Instruments; Microwave measurements; Microwave theory and techniques; Prototypes; Radar measurements; Velocity measurement;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Instrumentation and Measurement, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9456

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/19.310180

Filename

310180