Applying Global Positioning System Real-Time Kinematic Technology to Collection and Analysis of Rowing Information

IntroductionIn rowing,as in many sports,the goal is to getfrom startto finish as fastas possible.Informationabout the boat movement is very important inrowing training and competition.Examples ofuseful information include boat velocity,strokerate,single stroke distance,boat track,andtraining distance.Analyzing these parameters canhelp to evaluate the rowing techniques and tomonitor rowers'performance.With traditionalmethods we can only obtain stroke rate using ameter on the boat or from video…

Applying Global Positioning System Real-Time Kinematic Technology to Collection and Analysis of Rowing Information

To obtain higher accuracy of information concerning boat motion, the use of global positioning system (GPS) real-time kinematic (RTK) technology was investigated. Through RTK technology, a measurement precision of the ±1 cm range can be achieved. The research equipment included a GPS receiver and a personal digital assistant as a data control and processing unit. Real-time GPS data was captured and processed to acquire various parameters, including the boat track, velocity curve, stroke rate, and stroke distance. Using this data, the quantitative information related to rowing training can be achieved. The results are helpful for analyzing the biomechanical parameters of rowing techniques and for evaluating training efficiency.