Jacqueline Chen
Industrial design 6
DNH603_19se2
Reflections on Long-Term Development and Use of Automated Scoring Technology in a Sport (Modified Boxing) Context
Abstract
• developed and implemented a fully automated scoring system in the context of a modified, low-risk form of boxing
• The system requires contestants: wear vests and gloves incorporating sensor fabrics
• Issues:
- considerable prior and subsequent commitment of time
- valid contacts occasionally fail to score
- the configuration of electrical circuitry in the vests and deterioration of that circuitry with repeated vest use and washing
- false-positive scores are sometimes generated by vest self-shorting and effects of sweat
- adopt unorthodox styles - affecting the aesthetics of the modified sport
• expectation:
- technologically-based scoring should have much greater accuracy than human judging
- should be essentially fail-proof
Introduction
• the automated scoring system correctly identified ~90% of all legitimate impacts, and that of the ~10% of legitimate impacts not successfully detected, more than a third were directed to target zones located on the shoulders (False positive scores were rare).
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Results
• The appeal of Automated Scoring Technology
- the occurrence of sounds to indicate the registration of scores, with the sounds differing for the two contestants
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• Comfort and “Look” of Specialised Apparel
- closely resemble conventional T-shirts
- almost universally consider them to be comfortable
- wide variety of sizes
- lycra as the base fabric- were somewhat stretchable (a characteristic that caused them to conform quite closely to body shape)
- made available in just two colours—red and blue.
- the automated scoring technology is fitted into a specially designed pocket (on the upper back of the vests just below the neck)
- A new version produced earlier this year has dimensions of 5 cm × 2.5 cm × 1.3 cm and a mass of 25 g (including a cable for connection to the vest).
(Figure1)
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• Software
- It currently runs only on Windows operating systems
- The primary purposes of the package are wireless receipt (via Bluetooth) of vest resistance data from contestants, analysis of those data to enable detection of vest contacts, and real-time display of scores.
- the user-friendliness of the Spartan software has continually increased through such actions as the provision of augmented operator control icons, the inclusion of an on-line help manual, implementation of capacity for slow-motion and even frame-by-frame replay of the video footage, and creation of an ability
- the software to score three contests simultaneously, select a “countdown” scoring method
- a perceived disadvantage of the Spartan software is that it requires the use of a dedicated laptop computer (which entails significant expense).
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• Apps for iPhone and iPad
- an app that can be downloaded on to an Apple iPhone or iPad has recently been developed
- Employment of the app, called ModBox
• Time Requirements Associated with Us
- prior checking of vests and transceivers
- electrical charging of transceivers
- computer set-up and (in some situations) positioning and adjustment of Ethernet cameras
- Post-event washing, drying and re-examination of vests are time-consuming tasks
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• Accuracy of Scoring and Robustness of Equipment
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• Vest Shorting
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• Changes in Electrical Resistance of Vests
- Pre-contest checking of vests sometimes revealed losses of impact detection sensitivity.
- common in the shoulder target regions
• Effect of Sweat
- the electrolyte content of sweat makes it electrically conductive, sweat can cause “shorting” of vest electrical circuitry
- prevent the problem:
+ restricting the duration of bouts
+ wear their own T-shirt underneath the instrumented vest
+ counselling against wearing of the instrumented vest during warm-up
• Spacing of Vest Stripes
- currently, ~4 cm apart (should be considerably closer together)
• Conductivity of Glove Patches
- moved to making patches from either of two commercially available silver-containing fabrics, ArgenMesh and Silverell (Less EMF Inc, Latham, NY, USA), and to sewing the patches in place rather than gluing them
(Figure2)
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• Possible Influence of Impact Mechanics
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• Effect of Automated Scoring Technology on Athlete Technique
- adopt techniques aimed simply at rapidly registering numerous points and depending more on capacity to sustain all-out attack rather than on the execution of highly-refined skills.
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• Other Observations
- risk that the conductive patches glued or sewn on to the gloves could be damaged during training activities so rendering them non-functional when automated scoring was required
- development of “pull-on” glove covers incorporating conductive patches
- the cost of the automated scoring technology is an apparent impediment to its uptake
- vests would have to retail for ~AUD 250 (USD 190) in order to make their supply commercially viable
(Figure3)
Figure 1. An original (left) and a newer transceiver employed with the automated scoring technology.
Figure 2. Evolution in the development of conductive patches for gloves, showing move from gluing to sewing as the method of fixing rubber patches to glove surfaces, and then progression to use of patches made from silver-containing fabric.
Figure 3. Gloves with pull-on Lycra covers incorporating sewn-on silver-containing conductive patches.ric.