The University of Derby has recently invested in a Viconmotion capture system to give its school a competitive edge in student learning as well as advancing its technology in the biomechanics field. Vicon is a leading motion capture technology specialist for life science, entertainment, and engineering industries. The Viconmotion investment will examine the sequencing of segment kinetic energy in the golf swing as its main operation.
The Viconsystem will enable researchers to better understand the causes of energy generation as well as track how each segment of the golf club and the body performs and reacts during the swing.
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Dr. Tom Outram, the leader of the University’s new project and lecturer in Biomechanics Performance Analysis, commented: “An accurate golf swing is as important as power when you tee off. While the velocity possessed by a segment is relatively simple to calculate, the kinetic energy generated by movement is much harder to quantify. The key is understanding where the energy is coming from, and motion capture is vital in that process. Understanding of factors such as which segments are responsible for the generation of kinetic energy, how club type affects the generation of energy and how to transfer energy from the feet to the club will lead to better players being produced.”
The project will bring together elite and amateur golfers to gather data on their sequencing of body segment movements. Outram hopes they can use this data to increase the distance and accuracy of the players’ shots so amateur golfers can improve their game. The system also examines the affects of different club types on the player’s game. It will focus on the generation of transferring energy from the feet to the club. The ultimate goal of the project will be to publish the data from the Vicon technology in the spring of 2016.
To attain the project’s goal, the University has brought 12 Vantage V5 cameras and Vicon’s data capture software, Nexus 2. Launched this year, Vantage is Vicon’s new intelligent flagship camera platform which combines innovative technology with accessible design to open up motion capture to a broader audience.
The University of Derby plans to implement this technology through lectures and research to its students and aims to attract more students to the university as well as use the technology to support research in other disciplines in sports science. They plan to eventually expand the motion capture to test other movements in sports besides golf like long jump, hurdles, and weightlifting.