The use of stereo-photogrammetry to precisely determine 3D-positions, motions and deformations on sports equipment

Abstract

In sports science many different methods are utilized to quantify the success of training or to develop more efficient training techniques. Thus numerical simulations are used to improve the design of sports equipment. To quantify the gain in efficiency and to validate the simulations nowadays special optical measurement techniques are used. These techniques are often very complicated to be applied on the different measurement tasks. In most cases they are as well not accurate enough. New photogrammetric measurement techniques can be used in sports science for more accurate and user independent measurements, since they are used by the automobile and aerospace industries. With this new technique smallest 3D-motions and deformations can be captured, even at high-speed events. This paper describes a new method to directly measure accurate 3D coordinates of any measurement points on various sports equipment. It outlines as well benefits and influencing factors as well as ongoing developments. © The Society for Experimental Mechanics, Inc. 2012.