Speed Climbing Timing - Part 1 Sensors
02/19/2009 13:34 Filed in: IR Sensors | Speed timing
Most of my kids climb competitively and do an event called speed climbing. The name pretty much says what it’s about, but in general, 2 climbers go head-to-head on 2 25-50’ routes. After a climb is finished, they switch routes and climb again. The addition of the times of the two routes is the total time for the climber.
A problem that has plagued the event is the speed timing systems used are very unreliable. Most of these systems rely on some type of mechanical switch for the foot pedal and the top hand sensor to stop the clock at the finish, the top of the climber’s “lane”. Because the systems malfunction so frequently and can ruin the flow of the event and drastically extend the time it takes to execute the event due to re-climbing or fixing the system, I set out to design a system that did not use mechanical components. The goal is higher reliability, ease of installation, and also safety for the climber because sometimes mechanical switches have injured speed climbers hands.
Below is a video of a sensor concept I’m working on which will apply to the hand sensors at the top of the lane and the foot sensor at the bottom that’s used to detect a false start. These use an IR technology that’s relatively cheap (about $10 per sensor, 2 sensors per “pad.&rdquo
and immune to most IR emitted in ambient lighting situations. Read More...
A problem that has plagued the event is the speed timing systems used are very unreliable. Most of these systems rely on some type of mechanical switch for the foot pedal and the top hand sensor to stop the clock at the finish, the top of the climber’s “lane”. Because the systems malfunction so frequently and can ruin the flow of the event and drastically extend the time it takes to execute the event due to re-climbing or fixing the system, I set out to design a system that did not use mechanical components. The goal is higher reliability, ease of installation, and also safety for the climber because sometimes mechanical switches have injured speed climbers hands.
Below is a video of a sensor concept I’m working on which will apply to the hand sensors at the top of the lane and the foot sensor at the bottom that’s used to detect a false start. These use an IR technology that’s relatively cheap (about $10 per sensor, 2 sensors per “pad.&rdquo
and immune to most IR emitted in ambient lighting situations. Read More...asdfasdf
