News Release

The sporting engineer: How science can train better athletes

Better flyfishing and golfing through MEMS

Peer-Reviewed Publication

University of Michigan College of Engineering

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (Jan. 17, 2003)--Teach a man to fish and you will feed him for a lifetime. But equip him with a high-tech gadget from the University of Michigan and he will teach himself to cast farther and more accurately in just a few hours of practice. And he might even improve his golf game as well.

At Michigan, one of the leading institutions for micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) research, engineers are urgently studying how tiny MEMS sensors can keep us safe from terrorist attacks, improve our healthcare technologies and provide better monitoring of the environment. But it's not all hard work. Even engineers need some fun, and sometimes their high-tech work lives lead to some interesting twists on life's simplest pleasures.

When Noel Perkins wanted to master the art of fly fishing, he approached the issue like an engineer--he analyzed it. As a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Michigan, Perkins had experience simulating how long, sensor-laden cables used for submarine detection by the Navy interacted with the surrounding ocean. Comparatively, modeling the movement of fly fishing line as it is cast with a fly rod was a similar, but simpler task. But he needed a device that could help him understand how much his cast deviated from the ideal.

Armed with tiny motion sensors using MEMS technology, Perkins built a device to measure how he was moving the fly rod throughout his casting motion. When wired to a Palm Pilot and attached to a fly rod, the device helps track how the caster rotates the rod. This data is then used to create a "casting signature" that can be compared to that of an expert. Perkins worked with renowned fly-casting instructor Bruce Richards, who designs fly line for 3M Scientific Anglers, to understand the ideal casting motion.

In Perkins' case, the program and device helped him identify a common mistake in his casting motion--what experts like Richards call "rod creep." As Perkins was finishing his back cast, he allowed the rod to rotate slowly forward, instead of bringing it to a well-defined stop. This critical, but subtle flaw in his technique was reducing his ability to apply power in his forward cast and stealing potential distance from his casts.

"I was doing something that was very easy to spot with our casting analyzer," said Perkins. According to Perkins, flycasting instructors like Richards can easily spot such mistakes, but most novice fly fishers have trouble identifying such problems without expensive expert help. This new device, however, could help provide affordable and portable expertise to all.

Similar devices may also be useful for golfers, tennis and baseball players, and other athletes. Perkins has already created a similar prototype for a golf club that could help golfers straighten their hook or slice shots and add range to their drives.

Current commercial devices providing this kind of detailed analysis often depend on high-speed video photography and require a pro-shop setup. However, a MEMS-based trainer could potentially provide this same analysis with just a few affordable sensors and a handheld computer. According to Perkins, the device could easily be made wireless and completely portable, making them perfect for weekend enthusiasts striving to improve their game. It could also help companies prototype athletic equipment faster and more accurately.

"The primary use of these devices will be for teaching athletes how to improve their game," said Perkins, who has already filed for a patent. "But they also might be useful to sports equipment designers who want to assess the merit and demerits of competing designs."

At this stage, the MEMS devices provide data in a format that only an engineer or perhaps a cardiologist could appreciate--a graph depicting changes in angular velocity and acceleration. But commercial versions of the product would include a robust software package that converts the electronic signals into easily understandable tips. Perkins is currently searching for potential partners to help develop the technology.

"The old adage of 'practice makes perfect' still makes sense in sports training," said Perkins. "But measuring and knowing exactly what to practice certainly helps!"

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About the College of Engineering
The University of Michigan College of Engineering is consistently ranked among the top engineering schools in the world. The College is composed of 11 academic departments: aerospace engineering; atmospheric, oceanic and space sciences; biomedical engineering; chemical engineering; civil and environmental engineering; electrical engineering and computer science; industrial and operations engineering; materials science and engineering; mechanical engineering; naval architecture and marine engineering; and nuclear engineering and radiological sciences. Each year the College enrolls over 7,000 undergraduate and graduate students and grants about 1,000 undergraduate degrees and 600 masters and doctoral degrees. To learn more, please visit our web site at www.engin.umich.edu.


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