| Systems and engineering technology provider Frazer-Nash is working with UK Sport to help wheelchair athletes improve their performance. Working alongside former Paralympian Dr Ian Thompson and Angle Consulting, the team has developed an instrumented wheel for measuring the power exerted when pushing a racing wheelchair.
Named the Powerwheel, the instrument measures the driving force put into the push rim by the athlete. Data is measured using a load sensing element and transmitted wirelessly to a mini-computer. The data is interpreted, displayed and stored on the computer, enabling the athlete and coaches to analyse the information during the effort and post-event. In particular, the data collected can be used to build a profile of the push, showing how power and therefore speed is developed.
Alasdair Wylie, Project Manager at Frazer-Nash, commented:
“Athletic performance for wheelchair racing has been assessed historically by monitoring speed, heart rate and ‘feel’ to the athlete. Elite level cyclists have been training using power information for some considerable time now and the Powerwheel brings these benefits to wheelchair racers. The Powerwheel can be used to both assess technique and monitor training workload over time.
“It is excellent to work on a project that will help our team in their aim of winning gold medals both this year and in the future.
Ian Thompson has carried out initial testing with the Powerwheel, using it with current elite athletes whom he is coaching:
“The powerwheel has given great insights as to how to optimise performance and has been used to help a number of athletes improve their performance this season beyond what was achieved last year.
Research and Innovation Consultant at UK Sport, Dr Scott Drawer added: 'Frazer Nash, Angle Consulting and Ian Thompson have applied some really creative thinking here, to come up with a smart device that has the potential to really inform the training practices of elite wheelchair athletes. We are confident the application of this over the next four years can really help advance knowledge of and insight into performance in many disability sports.' |