A Unified, Custom-built Measuring System for a Ski Athlete

Abstract

At the previous ISEA conference (in Davis 2004) we reported on our work measuring a ski athlete. Each summer we add new functions to the measuring system and each winter we test the functions on the snow field. This paper is a description of the system as it was in March 2005, and is meant to provoke discussion of measurement and design issues.

Developments since 2004 include

• Redesigned load cells for the forces between the binding plate and each ski

• New strain amplifiers for all channels including automatic systems to balance the load cells and set the range

• “ShapeSnakes” — a new kind of goniometer

• A vertical gyroscope to assist with measurement of the absolute angle of a backpack worn by the athlete

• Custom acquisition of signals from foot-shaped FSA pressure sensors; and

• Software to display the acquired data in a virtual 3D world.

Another paper in these proceedings, Yoneyama (2006), describes some results obtained with the new equipment Although not everything worked perfectly during our latest tests, some good results were obtained. We will also present our vision for the next generation of the equipment.