Live feedback

In elite sport, the continuous improvement of training and analysis methods is of paramount importance. The aim is, in particular, to make the best possible use of athletes’ individual potential to achieve optimal technique. This is achieved most effectively in high-performance training through technique training with immediate feedback. During this process, athletes receive visual feedback synchronised with their movements. This type of training is known as measurement station training and is only possible in a laboratory under specific conditions in a canoe counter-current system.

Whilst athletes are performing training runs, they are simultaneously filmed using a multi-camera system. The video recordings of the athletes produced in this way are subsequently analysed using software. Part of this analysis involves determining 3D kinematic parameters of movement execution, knowledge of which ultimately enables the identification of areas for improvement. However, this analysis can currently only be carried out with a high degree of manual intervention and is very time-consuming.

In this project, the technical analysis of kinematic parameters in the canoe counter-current facility is being transformed into a real-time analysis application. To this end, appropriate AI-based algorithms, primarily from the field of image and video processing, are being developed during the course of the project and implemented to meet real-time requirements. In future, a measurement system is intended to record kinematic parameters markerlessly during training – or even with stroke-specific precision – and provide appropriate feedback on display devices, thereby enabling immediate intervention regarding sporting technique.

This project is funded by the Federal Institute of Sports Science (BISp) following a resolution by the German Bundestag.

Visit the project website