Sensors & Transducers Journal
(ISSN: 2306-8515, e-ISSN 1726-5479)
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0.705
2013 Global Impact Factor |
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Vol. 184, Issue 1, January 2015, pp. 26-38

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A Highly Automated, Wireless Inertial Measurement Unit Based System for Monitoring Gym-Based Push-Start Training Sessions by Bob-Skeleton Athletes
Mark GAFFNEY, Dr. Michael WALSH, Brendan O’FLYNN, Dr. Cian
ó MATHÚNA
Tyndall National Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland Tel.: +353-21-490-4023, 4440, 4041, 4350, fax: +353-21-490-4880
E-mail:
mark.gaffney@tyndall.ie,
michael.walsh@tyndall.ie,
brendan.oflynn@tyndall.ie,
cian.omathuna@tyndall.ie
Received: 14 November 2014 /Accepted: 15 December 2014 /Published: 31 January 2015 |
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Abstract:
Wireless Inertial Measurement Units (WIMUs) are increasingly used to improve our
understanding of complex human motion scenarios. In sports this allows for more valid coaching,
selection and training methods leading to improved athletic performance. The Push-Start in the Winter
Olympic sport of Bob-Skeleton is poorly understood but believed to be critical to performance. At the
University of Bath a piece of gym-based equipment called the “Assassin” used by athletes to practice the
Push-Start was instrumented with a custom WIMU system to investigate this motion regime. A test
subject performed 36 runs, comprising 3 runs at each of 12 combinations of 3 Incline and 4 Weight
settings. A developed algorithm automatically identified valid data-files, extracted the Pushing-Phase
Acceleration data, and estimated sled Velocity and Displacement. The average velocities derived from
an existing Light-Gate and WIMU data-files were comparable, with an average Root Mean Squared Error
of 0.105 meters per second over the 52 valid WIMU data-files identified, covering 11 of the 12 Weight
and Incline settings. Additional investigation of WIMU data revealed information such as: step count;
track incline; and whether weights had been added could be determined, although further verification
and validation of these features are required. Such an automated WIMU-based system could replace
performance monitoring methods such as Light-Gates, providing higher fidelity performance data,
additional information on equipment setup with lower-cost and greater ease-of-use by coaches or
athletes. Its portable and modular nature also allow use with other training scenarios or equipment,
such as using additional on-body WIMUs, or use with outdoor and ice-track sleds, enabling performance
monitoring from the gym to the ice-track for improved candidate selection, comparison and training in
Bob-Skeleton and other ice-track based sled sports.
Keywords: Wireless Inertial Measurement Unit, Accelerometer, Bob-Skeleton, Sled, Error Correction, Performance Monitoring.
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