Monitoring and evaluation of rowing performance using mobile mapping data

Traditionally, the term mobile mapping refers to a means of collecting geospatial data using mapping sensors that are mounted on a mobile platform. Historically, this process was mainly driven by the need for highway infrastructure mapping and transportation corridor inventories. However, the recent advances in mapping sensor and telecommunication technologies create the opportunity that, completely new, emergent application areas of mobile mapping to evolve rapidly. This article examines the potential of mobile mapping technology (MMT) in sports science and in particular in competitive rowing. Notably, in this study the concept definition of mobile mapping somehow differs from the traditional one in a way that, the end result is not relevant to the geospatial information acquired as the moving platform travels in space. In contrast, the interest is placed on the moving platform (rowing boat) itself and on the various subsystems which are also in continuous motion. As an initial step of an on-going research this article discusses the biomechanics of rowing in relation to applied technique and equipment. Also, it reviews the current practices and sensor systems used for monitoring and evaluating performance in rowing. Finally, it presents an integrated data acquisition and processing scheme for rowing based on modern MMT. To this effect, a critical assessment of the various types of sensors as well as their installation and integration into a recording system is detailed. This analysis benefits by a number of preliminary tests using real data recordings. The boat kinematics (velocity, acceleration and attitude), techniques for their noise elimination and processes for computing average stroke characteristics are studied thoroughly. Also, the pattern of motion in rowing (stroke cycle) is examined in relation to athlete technique and capacity.