Optical Pacing System for Athlete Speed Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Athletes face challenges in determining their pace during training, as current methods involving coaches yelling out times or athletes manually checking clocks are disruptive and provide limited accuracy, especially for longer distances.
Innovation Solution
A system of lightweight, wireless, and portable light units that sequentially illuminate along a path, allowing athletes to maintain focus and accurately gauge their pace through a predetermined timing sequence, with the ability to adjust delays for varying speeds and distances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If coaches yell out times or athletes manually check clocks to determine pace, then the athlete can know their pace, but the athlete's concentration and form are disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/manual system of coaches yelling times or athletes checking clocks with an optical signaling system. Lights are positioned along the race path and activated at predetermined times to indicate when an athlete should be at specific locations. This optical system provides continuous, non-intrusive pace guidance that eliminates the need for manual time checking and maintains athlete concentration and form.
2Measurement precision
If manual time checking is used for longer distances, then the athlete can determine pace, but the accuracy is limited and requires frequent interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous pace guidance by positioning multiple lights along the entire race path, including before the start line, at split points, and along the course. These lights are activated continuously at predetermined times to indicate when the athlete should be at each location. This eliminates the intermittent nature of manual time checking and provides uninterrupted visual feedback throughout the entire race, maximizing training efficiency.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple lights are used to provide continuous pace feedback, then the athlete can maintain concentration, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the race path into multiple segments with individual lights positioned at key locations including before the start line, at split points, and along the course. Each light is independently controlled and activated at predetermined times corresponding to when the athlete should be at that location. This segmentation allows for simple, independent control of each light while providing comprehensive continuous feedback throughout the entire race.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for optically setting a pace for an athlete is presented. The method sequentially places a first group of lights and a second group along a path travelled by the athlete. The first group of lights are sequentially lit one after another one at a time with a first predetermined delay between the lighting of each of the lights. After all the first group of lights have been lit, the second group of lights are similarly sequentially lit in sequence with a second predetermined delay between each of the lights. The first and second predetermined delays can be the same if the athlete desires to run several consistent laps of the same speed. However, the athlete may desire to run one part of the laps fast and the another part slower by setting one predetermined delay longer than the other predetermined delay.