Efficacy of inertial measurment units in the analysis of swim technique

Abstract

This experimental study explored the efficacy of inertial measurment units (IMUs) in the analysis of swim technique. A BNO055 IMU was used to record linear acceleration for three different scenarios: normal stroke technique, straight arm swimming, and swimming while crossing the midline. Video recordings from front and side angles were taken for comparison, as video analysis is the gold standard for technique assessment. Acceleration data was used to create a model of a normal stroke in the x,y, and z directions. The model was compared against samples of each type of technique disturbance. Analysis of fit to the model showed that while the average distance from the model for the straight arm technique was higher, the cross over stroke had similar deviation from the model as the normal stroke samples. This result suggests that this method of analysis makes characterization of technique difficult, although it remains a promising field for continued study.