INNOVATIONS

Improving swimming performance with technology is not easy: you cannot simply attach sensors to swimmers or in the water. The sensors and their containers need to be waterproof. We develop new systems and technologies that provide insight into your swimming performance and how you can improve yourself.
Everything must be watertight. We develop systems and techniques that provide insight into your swimming performance and how you can improve yourself.

3D SYSTEM

Like virtually all real-life movements, swimming movements are made in 3D. To measure and analyse swimming movements in 3D InnoSportLab de Tongelreep is equipped with a 6-camera system for tracking markers attached to a swimmer’s wrists or small lights attached to the swimmer’s fingertips. The tracking data are presented in graphs that enable the swimmer and coach to see how deep the swimmer’s hand is being inserted into the water, how the hand’s orientation changes over time, how effectively the hand is contributing to propulsion, and how quickly the hand is moving through the water. With this information one can see precisely what happens in the water and verify if the instructions by the coach result in improvements.

LIVE DELAY SYSTEM

Just before the start of a lap, we begin filming every movement of the swimmer with our above- and underwater cameras. Immediately after the lap has been completed, the swimmer can view the video images and play them back in delayed fashion. This provides information about, for instance, the position of the hip, the entry angle into the the water, and the speed at the 5- and 10-m line, as well as at the break-out. InnoSportLab De Tongelreep possesses an enormous dataset, which, among others, includes data of the fastest female starter ever, Ranomi Kromowidjojo. Swimmers can compare their start times with hers and those of many other elite swimmers.

TOWING SYSTEM

We have a towing system to measure the drag of a swimmer or an object in the water. With this system we can pull a swimmer in streamlined position or a physical object, such as a mannequin, through the water. The towing system is mainly used to test swimming suits, but also plays a supportive role in more fundamental studies on drag.

MAD SYSTEM

The MAD system allows us to measure the active drag of a swimmer (MAD stands for measuring active drag). This means that we can monitor the drag while the swimmer is actively moving forward over the MAD system. Under certain conditions, the system can also provide valuable insights into force and speed. The MAD system is often used in combination with the towing system used for the testing of swimming suits.

STARTING BLOCK

While performing a dive start a swimmer exerts forces on the starting block. The field lab is equipped with a Kistler starting block with a built-in force plate for measuring these forces. With this starting block we can measure how much force is exerted by each leg and what pulling forces are delivered by the arms. Based on this information we can optimize the dive start of individual swimmers.

VIDEO ANALYSIS

With our video cameras and analysis software we can analyze the swimming movements of any swimmer in the smallest detail. Based on this analysis we can formulate personal points of attention together with an experienced swimming coach.

Starting Times

The InnoSportLab also helps swimmers with seemingly small but handy innovations. With various sound files of fixed starting times, for example, so that you do not need a clock. These files are also available for you free of charge. Curious? Click on the button!

Innovations