Research using XSENSOR X4 helps speed skaters gain an edge on the ice

Research using Intelligent Dynamic Sensing is being conducted by Brock University in Canada, which is looking into giving speed skaters a new competitive advantage.

Professor of Kinesiology Kelly Lockwood and PhD candidates Colin Dunne and Tiffany Hsu are working with kinetic data from inside the skates of Speed Skating Canada’s long- and short-track speed skaters.

They’re looking at how skate setup can produce faster skaters and best support athlete performance with equipment configuration.

Lockwood and the team are working with XSENSOR Technology Corporation, a Calgary-based company specialising in Intelligent Dynamic Sensing that designs and develops Intelligent Insoles that measure plantar pressure — the distribution of force over the sole of the foot — for in-shoe data collection. This research is XSENSOR’s inaugural application to in-skate data collection.

“This cutting-edge technology allows us to overcome one of the hurdles of collecting data in the field of applied sport sciences. It allows us to quantify the contribution of equipment to athlete performance in real-world performance arenas.” – Kelly Lockwood.

The in-skate insoles allow the collection of data when an athlete is performing in their sports arena, including their ability to generate force, the distribution and application of pressure, and how skate setup affects specific racing skills, such as starts, corners and straights.

Lockwood’s research on the contribution of equipment to sport performance has the potential to contribute to athlete performance in gliding and sliding sports

Read the full article on brocku.ca.