This idea has probably been come up with befor i am just putitng a little bit of my own spin on it. To start a swimming race a light flashes and a sound like a beep go off. There is a swimmign "judge" who looks for swimmers who leave early or do something unallowed in their race ie. breastroke (must touch the wall with two hand simultaneously) sometimes this judge doesn't catch people who leave early or they think soemone left early even if they didn't. My idea is to have blocks that have a motion sensor on the end AND something that vibrates to let the swimmer have a litle bit of an edge and the ability to leave the second the race is started.
-- swimr_chick, Oct 08 2004

touchpads at pool edges and sensitive starting blocks http://www.alge-tim...wim2000-03-e.htm#TP
[FarmerJohn, Oct 08 2004]

How aboyut a "photo start" as well as a "photo finish"?

Like it, though.
-- not_only_but_also, Oct 08 2004


Sounds like a decent plan. How would the motion sensor work exactly? What would its field of vision be? The way I'm thinking, it might detect the motion of hands, etc. near the blocks and give a false false start indication.

What's the vibrate thing? Is that a something that would activate at the same time as the gun goes off or on ready, or on set? A sort of pre-warning?

Would something as simple as pressure transducers in the blocks get the job done? Essentially, a high speed scale would check the weight applied to the blocks, if it becomes zero before the starter gun starts the timer, it's a false start. My "contribution" here assumes that it's required to start with your feet on the starting blocks. I've never raced so I don't know that for sure.
-- half, Oct 08 2004


Good plan - I reckon half's pressure transducer would be the best solution. Don't know about the vibrator, I have very ticklish feet and I'm sure extreme giggling doesn't make you go any faster.
-- wagster, Oct 08 2004


do swimmers have to touch a sensor as they turn round to commence another length?
-- po, Oct 08 2004


[Po], usually they do yes, but since the pads are the width of the lane and pretty deep too, its impossible to miss. I like this, because the Judge can't catch all those people who rock back a bit before they dive. It drives me insane when they do.+

Hey what's up Jen
-- swimr, Oct 08 2004


To clarify everyones questions/ suggestions the vibration in the block will go off as well as the usual beep and light, it will help swimmers speed up their dive and start to the race. The sensor could be two different things, A. a motion sensor although it would be difficult to figure out who left early (if anyone did) unless their was one on every block. Idea B. Is something like a touch pad either just on top or on the bottom of the block, so when the person let's go of the block to dive the pads would obviously sense the change and the judges would be able to figure out who left early. (if anyone did)
-- swimr_chick, Oct 09 2004


I think [FarmerJohn]'s link provides the solution you are looking for. Maybe your league/organization needs to adopt such technology.
-- half, Oct 09 2004



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