Man and machine are merging to bring about performance improvements in athletes. A complex blend of computers, software and sensors is helping those involved in sport to dig that little bit deeper by making them more efficient. One term for it is bioengineering, which involves "looking at the body as a piece of equipment or machinery," says Ross Anderson of the department of physical education and sport sciences at the University of Limerick.
His PhD research programme involves a blend of physics, sport and bioengineering to help rowers perform that little bit better. Originally from Scotland, Anderson rowed in a coxed four during his studies at Robert Gordon University and the University of Aberdeen, where he graduated in physics and then biomedical engineering.
He describes rowing as one of the most technical Olympic-level sports, in which good technique is "extremely important". Once you reach peak performance, improvements usually come only out of more efficient technique, rather than from physiological advances.
He came to Limerick in 1997, to work on his PhD. "I have always been interested in sports. When I came over here, it just developed from what I am interested in."
While a rower, Anderson's crew tried to apply science to their sport, but there was a problem with the supply of good, objective data to define performance. "I can now do something about this," he says.
Previous research in Limerick had shown that when rowers become tired, their technique changes. Anderson's goal was to develop a real-time system that would warn a rower when technique slipped due to fatigue.
He joined forces with the university's department of electronics and computer engineering, and together they developed a system to detect what part of the rowing method goes wrong when an athlete is tired and work out how to fix it.
Long events are a challenge for rowers, who must concentrate for long periods on routine movements. A 5,000-metre race might take 18 minutes, during which time rowers' minds wander. "Keeping the rower's mind on their technique will help them to become more consistent," he says. "It is actually focusing their mind on their technique."
The problem relates to a loss of power due to tiredness as a race progresses, which degrades technique. "It changes slowly over time. Recognising that the change has started to happen is important," he says, because the rower can bring things back on track.
The goal is to provide real-time results on a monitor in front of the rower. "Obviously, on the water they wouldn't have this feedback, so we are trying to teach them how they should feel" when they do things correctly, he says. He is not trying to achieve an optimum, because this will be different for each person.
The stroke has a number of components, starting with the catch, when the oar dips into the water; then the drive phase, as it moves through the water; the finish, as the oar comes out of the water; and, finally, recovery, as the rower prepares for the next stroke - a cycle that takes about two seconds, says Anderson.
To measure the elements of the stroke, he used a mix of hardware and software, starting with a Rowperfect rowing simulator, which duplicates what a rower feels when on the water. "We are adding things on to that," he adds - both to the simulator and the rower.
The device being used measures acceleration, generating signals that change according to the athlete's movements. They are placed on the hip and shoulder, as earlier research showed that these are the key areas affected by fatigue, and the places where the stroke starts to go wrong.
The accelerometer signals feed into a computer loaded with software to analyse and interpret them. The results are sent back to the rower via a screen. The screen interface has been a challenge, as the stroke is so short. Real-time information is needed, but it has to be meaningful and useable. Several versions are under development, says Anderson.
One records what percentage of stroke sequences was outside the norm; another changes colour, showing green for an acceptable stroke and red for a technically poor stroke; a third shows the limits for a bad stroke. "A curve appears on the screen, and they have to keep it in a band," says Anderson.
Analysis has begun to see if such a system really can improve technique; early data suggest it can, says Anderson. He believes the system will allow a novice to train with an expert and learn the feel of a technically correct stroke. It would also be useful for selecting rowing crews, matching athletes on the basis of strength and technique.