Ski Faster with Camera-less Fusion Motion Capture

This pilot study “Fusion Motion Capture: a Prototype System using Inertial Measurement Units and GPS for the Biomechanical Analysis of Ski Racing” uses FMC to capture 3D kinetics and kinematics of alpine ski racing and shows how this new technology can overcome the technological difficulties associated with athlete performance monitoring in an alpine environment.

FMC is a system which uses small sensors attached to the athlete’s limbs, helmet and soles to generate raw data from the athlete’s movement. The numbers are then crunched with the aid of a computer to reproduce accurate estimates of the position, velocity and acceleration of the athlete’s limb segments.

Lead author, Matthew Brodie, Massey University, says “With FMC, it is possible to capture motion and dynamics of alpine ski racing throughout the ski run while maintaining high resolution. This is the first time full body motion of an athlete skiing an entire course can be captured with results returned as soon as the run is completed.”

FMC is developed to capture motion in large spaces which is impractical for video motion capture. While video analysis requires several weeks to measure only a few turns, FMC is able to collect and analyze several hundred turns in a single day.

Mr. Brodie adds. “FMC enabled biomechanical analysis which provides insights into how technique, race strategy and equipment changes can increase the athlete’s speed. It is now possible to measure how ski friction, wind drag, gravity and ground reaction forces affect performance and see how variability in technique is beneficial to race time.”

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This paper is published in the inaugural issue of Sports Technology.
The article is available free online: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120195070/abstract
Media wishing to receive more information or schedule interviews with the authors or editors-in-chief should contact Alina Boey at aboey@wiley.com.sg or phone +6596565580.

About Sports Technology
Sports Technology is a unique source of information on all aspects of sports technology. This international journal aims to establish stronger links between industrial and academic research, and enhance communication between athletes, coaches, engineers, scientists, biomechanists, managers and administrators involved with sports and sports technology. Design and development of sports products and infrastructure require close collaboration between all stakeholders, as well as good understanding of both life and sports sciences, principles of economy and engineering. Therefore it is only natural that a journal focusing on sports technology is inter-and transdisciplinary as well as holistic in its approach.

Sports Technology publishes articles that are classified either as scientific research articles (focusing on the scientific aspects of sports technology research) or technical research and development articles (focusing on the commercial product design and development aspects).

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