The sports scientists at the ‘University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Aquatics Research and Education (CARE)’ in collaboration with ‘Sheffield Hallam University’ have developed software which would enable Britain’s swimmers to improve. This software primarily focuses upon a swimmers glide technique.

The software not only tries to improve the posture to minimize the resistance while traveling through the water but also gave attention to the head position, body alignment etc. so that the swimmers could easily identify the most optimum moment to begin kicking.

This new software carries an edge over the old training software as it provides an immediate feedback to the swimmers and makes it possible for them to work upon the techniques. The recommendations also come handy when the training session is in progress and coaches can put them into effective use. In addition to this, it also generates detailed and highly accurate data. In the championships where even a fraction of a second values, this accuracy and width of data provided by this software would certainly enhance the chances of winning more medals by the British swimmers. More efficient gliding with a less drag can reduce vital fractions of a second from the time taken by a swimmer.

Markers are placed at the body joints of swimmers while under and above water cameras feed images into a computer that uses the software to examine the movements of the swimmers. The software then projects an instant image of the swimmer, complete with graphs and different technical data, on another TV screen by the pool which is developed with the help of a highly refined mathematical model developed by Dr Roozbeh Naemi.

Thus the software not only provides a speedy and accurate data making it possible for the coaches to work upon the swimmers’ improvement but it could also be easily customized to suit the individual needs of a swimmer.

The software is developed with the funding supported by the ‘Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)’ in collaboration with ‘UKSPORT’. It would be available to swimmers throughout the UK within around 12 months after the initial testing about its functioning and validity. In this testing, swimmers from Edinburgh city and ‘Warrender swimming clubs’ will participate and would involve further in experiments to learn more about the factors relating to gliding performance.

Professor Ross Sanders, project leader, stated that it could help “identify the champions of tomorrow. It will show which young swimmers naturally move easily through the water, which may well equate to outstanding ability or a particular aptitude for the sport.”

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