Rocky Mountain Tracking » Sports

GPS Monitoring Symbolizes Drastic Shift in Sports Monitoring

John Chapman — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:00:26 +0000

One of the most exciting applications of modern GPS tracking technology is sports. Sports fans talk statistics with a precision and enthusiasm that rivals the most adept MIT mathematician. Whether it’s the speed of Nolan Ryan’s legendary pitches, Kobe Bryant’s vertical, Lance Armstrong’s speed, or the machinations of Tiger Woods’ drive, mathematical precision as it applies to sports analysis is both a hobby, and an industry.

Indeed, it seems as if sports, in America and beyond, drives a segment of the world economy with the same human necessity and regularity as plumbing or construction. People need their toilets fixed, people need their homes repaired, and people need to watch professional sports.

The side industry of sports analytics has always thrived, seeking new ways to measure individual achievement. This is the great glory of sports: it is a celebration of human beings that push their limits, that smash barriers, that turn the human machine into something that performs in truly magnificent ways. In American football games, sports announcers never seem to run out of odd analytics with which to qualify players—“The most interceptions in Qualcomm Stadium during the first half of a fourth quarter since 1998,” etc.

In Great Britain, only the sports are different. Manchester United dominates as the world’s most profitable sports franchise (America’s Dallas Cowboys trails as a far distant second), while cricket remains a traditional fascination not only for England but for a large portion of the world.

England’s national cricket team recently announced that GPS tracking devices have been installed on the tops of all players’ uniforms. This no doubt has sports analysts worldwide salivating. The GPS monitors track players’ movements with pinpoint precision, allowing entire new metrics of statistics to be created and monitored.

Strangely, England is not the first cricket team to institute GPS tracking. Australia came first, utilizing GPS trackers as a method of recording, then improving, player performance.

Is GPS tracking likely to become an ubiquitous part of professional athletes’ lives? At this point, the answer is yes. Sports make money—and businesses are always looking for new ways to monitor athletes, track changes, and turn them into athletic monsters. It will be fascinating to see how GPS tracking gives sports commentators new stats to breathe into the microphone.

GPS Tracking Assists Recreational Boat Owners

Lynetta Bowen — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:00:39 +0000

The most recent New York Boat Show showcased technology that would have dropped the jaws of the show’s early founders. One of the most interesting features to appear at the show is known as Skyhook. Skyhook uses GPS tracking technology to “anchor” a boat in a certain location. By choosing a specific GPS map location, the navigator can program the boat’s motors to do whatever is necessary to remain within five feet of that spot. The technology makes it easy for fisherman, divers, and other boaters to ensure that their boats stay put while they enjoy the activities they came to do.

The mission of the GPS tracking technology in this instance is two-fold. First, the device will pinpoint the location of the vessel at any given time. Second, it will alert the boat’s computer if the boat moves outside a five-foot radius, setting in motion the action needed to keep the craft from drifting. For boaters who enjoy navigating the open water, the device makes anchoring in a particular location much easier, especially in very deep areas where a traditional anchor might not be sufficient to keep the boat in place.

As part of the comprehensive Ray Marine E7 MFD device, the GPS technology provides the perfect complement to the array of other capabilities offered to modern boaters. One of the most innovative features is the ability of the device to display information on the user’s iPad or iPhone. Navigators can easily view GPS location information as well as a host of other features on up to six displays, enabling them to control navigation conveniently from anywhere on board the boat.

GPS technology gives today’s boaters a host of advantages their forbears couldn’t have dreamed of. In addition to Skyhook, marine GPS devices have been used to monitor boat races, enable search and rescue missions, reduce boat theft and provide simple tracking capabilities for families of boaters. Commercial and military vessels also use the technology to ensure safety and accomplish a variety of objectives.

Ultimately, however, the GPS tracking capabilities of Skyhook have a simple purpose: to make the boating experience as accessible, manageable, and enjoyable as possible for pleasure craft owners. Thanks to GPS, boat navigation has become easier than ever before, enabling people of different skill levels to safely enjoy activities on the water while reducing the likelihood of drifting or getting lost on the water.

GPS Devices Used for PSG Soccer Training

Mark Rummel — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:00:15 +0000

The parade of new uses for tracking with GPS devices continues. We’ve seen it used in law enforcement, company and city vehicle monitoring, and even in keeping tabs on endangered species in the wild. This month, a prominent European soccer coach told reporters that he plans to use GPS tracking devices to keep a very close eye on what his players are doing during training. With the detailed location data that trackers can provide in real time, they could gain a footing among sports teams of all kinds to increase the effectiveness of training routines.

Carlo Ancelotti, formerly in charge of the high-performing Chelsea soccer team, is now starting his first season as coach for the French team Paris Saint-Germain. He brings with him a number of training techniques that exert very close control over the players’ lives. One of those is a strict monitoring of diet, making sure that everything the players eat is contributing to improvement of their performance on the field. Another factor is the use of GPS devices to keep detailed information on exactly what goes on with individual players during training sessions.

By fitting the players with GPS devices, Ancelotti gathers data on their activities in real time during training exercises. He uses the information to customize schedules to perfectly fit each player’s needs, and also checks to make sure that they are not overexerting themselves—a problem that could lead to injury. The GPS training tool is one that Ancelotti has used and improved with his previous Chelsea team in England, and looks forward to applying to his new PSG team.

If any team is well equipped to function as a pioneer in the use of new (and costly) technological tools, it’s PSG. The team is noted for its unusually well funded budget; it has spent $116 million on players so far this season, and is not finished trying to sign new players. The new coach anticipates his team will stay in first place in its league, helped by his new diet and training techniques. GPS devices are still relatively expensive, but if coach Ancelotti’s experiment pays off, other teams may be willing to spend the money to start their own GPS-assisted training programs.

GPS Used To Count Pheasants

Mark Rummel — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:00:04 +0000

In the land of the kiwi, GPS tracking is making the job of Fish & Game officers easier as they prepare for the game bird hunting season beginning in May of 2012. The government of New Zealand conducts field studies during the breeding season to gauge how hunting has affected game bird populations, and adjust regulations and hunting quotas accordingly.

Pheasants are one of the most popular game birds in the country, and traditionally officers have counted them by listening for the calls of male birds. They have continued that method this year, and have used their findings to determine that the pheasant population is remaining stable as compared with past years’ counts. However, a newer counting procedure has the Fish & Game department hoping to gain a more accurate and geographically definite picture of the pheasant population.

Hunting dogs naturally have a fantastic ability to seek out roosting birds, and can be trained to flush them out. While this ability is usually harnessed to help hunters, Fish & Game officers are using it to help them count birds. By fitting the collars of dogs with GPS tracking devices and then releasing them into specific wooded areas, they can pinpoint the exact location of the birds that the dogs flush out. This method makes it easy for officers to quickly gain an accurate count and also get a better understanding of what types of habitat the pheasants prefer.

While the GPS-equipped dog system is a great counting method, it does not appear that the Fish & Game administration intends to replace their previous method of gauging population levels by listening for calling cock pheasants. Rather, they will compare the results of the two different counts to determine how they can use the calling pheasant counts to accurately predict the total number of pheasants. Using dogs to disrupt pheasants is a far more invasive method than simply listening to birds without interacting with them, so it may not be a favorable long term solution. However, it does give officers an opportunity to compare their counts against the “real” number of birds in an area.

It is important to note that while GPS technology is very helpful in establishing the populations of game birds, using it while actually hunting is illegal in most cases. The sport of hunting puts a high priority on the “fair chase,” and using GPS tracking to locate animals or notify other hunters of animals’ locations is considered unfair.

Magellan Announces GPS Tracking Watch

Marisa O'Connor — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:00:51 +0000

Magellan recently announced their entry into the world of GPS tracking watches. The company is well known for their in-car navigation systems, and they appear to be taking their GPS expertise off the dash and onto your wrist. The primary purpose of a watch with GPS tracking capabilities is fitness training. There are tons of apps available for smartphones, which use GPS to track exercise routines. The problem with these apps is that they rely on a phone, which must either be held or stored in a pocket while exercising. Magellan, like other fitness watch manufacturers, found a great solution in their upcoming Switch and Switch Up watches.

A fitness watch provides all the GPS tracking benefits of your smartphone, securely attached to your wrist. The Switch fitness watch was designed for runners, but will work great for any kind of mobile activity. This watch comes with a 1.26-inch monochrome display, GPS receiver with high-sensitivity, and embedded ANT+ technology, which allows users to connect third-party features, such as bike sensors, foot pods and heart-rate monitors. Magellan’s fitness watch is water resistant and comes with a USB connector to easily download workout data. The watch also includes nine customizable screens and a calorie counter.

The Switch is a more basic version of the Switch Up watch, which is better designed for well-rounded athletes. The Switch Up fitness watch comes with all the same features as the Switch, as well as some bonus capabilities. The Switch Up includes a thermometer, a barometric altimeter, to measure elevation, and a quick-release mounting kit, to more easily switch between activities. The retail price of the Switch is $249.99, while the Switch Up and Multisport Mounting Kit will cost $299.99. For an extra $50, Magellan will include a heart-rate monitor.

Runner Finds Motivation in Unusual Places

Mark Rummel — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 17:00:01 +0000

Running can be an arduous task, but with a little bit of motivation, runners can get the help they need to improve their performance and increase their mileage. A Nike+ GPS tracker user recently went for a run in her usual attire, but this time, her running clothes were accompanied by an extra piece of jewelry; her favorite pair of earrings. By the time she realized that she still had her earrings on, it was too late to go home to remove them, with no place to put them, she tucked them up under her running hat, and she continued her run.

After a few miles, she started to heat up and took off her running hat. As she did this, one of her earrings fell to the ground without her knowledge. After running another half mile or so, she realized that she was missing an earring, and she turned around to find her the missing piece to her favorite set of jewelry. After jogging back a few miles, she saw something sparkling and picked up the missing earring.

Her regular 3-mile loop seemed easy, even with the extra running due to the extra motivation of finding her lost earring. With this motivation, and the Nike+ GPS tracker, she was able to track her run and realize that she ran over 6 miles. The GPS tracker in the Nike+ GPS app provides the user with all kinds of information about his or her progress. Not only did she run twice as far as she would normally run, but she ran at a pace 20 seconds faster than her usual running speed. Because of this extra motivation, she was able to bump her run up in the following weeks, and she has started running a somewhat quicker pace. Like this runner, you too can get the little inspiration that you need to get off the couch and start running. Anything can motivate you, and if you find a “pair of earrings”, you can improve your fitness regimen and enjoy exercise more than ever.

Ski Apache Turns to GPS Tracking

Harriette Halepis — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 16:00:07 +0000

The 750 acre mountain isn’t the first ski slope to offer GPS tracking to clients, but Apache Mountain is the first in the area to offer such a service. If you happen to live near Ski Apache, you can opt in for the ski slope tracking for just $12 per day. More importantly, you can sign your kids or other family members up for the tracking initiative.

No matter how big or small a mountain is, loosing track of someone is a real possibility. In addition to simply getting lost on a mountain, plenty of ski accidents occur worldwide every day. When these accidents happen, it can take ski rescue teams a long time before reaching someone in need. During this waiting period, a skier may lost blood, become too cold to move, or be left behind as night sets in.

There’s another angle to consider here too. Marketers (and ski slope owners) can keep track of how many lifts people use per day, which slopes are the most popular, and the times of day that people like to hit the slopes. This kind of marketing material is priceless, and GPS tracking technology is helping to increase this sort of client analysis.

GPS tracking technology prevents all of these things from happening. With GPS, skiers can be found no matter where they are. The GPS trackers that Apache is offering are made by a company called Flaik, and spending $12 per day to protect yourself or a loved on is money well-spent.

Photo By Moron Noodle Via Flickr Creative Commons

GPS Helps Lead Sydney to Victory

Khristen Foss — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:42:29 +0000

If you ask a player from the Sydney FC Sky Blues what the secret to their success this season is, they might tell you it’s the players’ determination to be the very best. If you ask the team’s doctor, he’ll likely credit GPS tracking devices used in the athletes’ training.

Dr. Craig Duncan collects information during each training session thanks to the devices worn by players which transmit data back to his laptop, allowing him to make adjustments to each individual’s training program for the day. If there is one player who appears to be overworked, he can see this and end their training for the day. If there is a player not working as hard as they should the problem is highlighted, allowing the coaches to push that player a bit harder.

The doctor appreciates that everyone on the coaching staff is supportive of this program. “The coaching staff all understands the importance of what I’m trying to do and we all work together. I’m lucky to be at a club where everyone, from the head coach to the physio, is pulling in the same direction and accept this is the best way to go. We’re able to tailor sessions according to predetermined modeling and, so far, it’s going really well.”

And it isn’t just the team iteslf that sees the importance of what Dr. Duncan is doing. He was recently the main speaker at a medical forum in London where the world’s top sports teams happened to be gathered, and has also received lucrative offers from other AFL clubs.

Dr. Duncan stresses the importance of medical staff being part of a successful training program, rather than the traditional “strength and conditioning” coaches most teams rely on. “I’m not interested in making us the fittest team in the A-League. I’m looking at creating a team which measures itself, fitness-wise, on an international scale.” It was Duncan himself who felt Sydney needed to step up their game in the area of fitness in the first place, a result of player performance reviews and discussions with coaches.

After 11 games, it is evident his program is paying off. Three out of the 11 games saw Sydney coming from behind to claim victory, unlike the last two seasons where they could only boast of one comeback. Not even a week ago, they were down 1-0 until they came out of nowhere to take over and win the match, blindsiding their tired opponents.

And what do the players think of all this? One of the Sky Blues, Nicky Carle, says, “The set up Sydney has at the moment – in terms of science, medicine, rehab, and coaches working together – is second to none.”

Photo Courtesy of TheBuffaFamily through Flickr Creative Commons

MyTrek and iPhone: Tracking Your Workout

Admin — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:34:29 +0000

Advanced technology has brought us a number of products to monitor heart rate, calories burned, and other statistics during a workout. A new piece of equipment from Scosche partners with your iPhone to make workout tracking more convenient, accurate, and unobtrusive than ever.

Before using it, you link the Scosche MyTrek to its companion iPhone app with the help of a built in installation guide. In a brief setup, you tailor the device’s settings with your personal fitness information. When you are ready to begin your workout, the app allows you to set the MyTrek to a specific workout type (from yoga to running) and begin tracking all the standard statistics—time, distance, heart rate, and calories burned, among others.

The MyTrek itself is an exceptionally comfortable armband, less restrictive and noticeable than more common chest strap models. Chances are you will forget you are even wearing the armband during your workout. As an extra bonus feature, a built in player links to your iTunes library and lets you listen to music without even taking your iPhone or iPod along. Music playback control buttons on the armband are large and easy to use without looking at them.

During your workout, the built in player also gives you audio updates on your current heart rate in relation to your target, as well as your overall progress. With the automatic update system, you don’t even need to interrupt your run or weight routine to glance at your iPhone. This convenience lets you focus on your routine from beginning to end.

After the workout is over, all the information from your exercise is compiled in an easy to read format, giving you instant detailed feedback on the benefits of your hard work. All the information is then saved to a calendar, allowing you to compare past workouts and track your overall progress.

The Scosche MyTrek sets a new standard for convenience and accuracy in exercise tracking devices. Combining an armband hardly more noticeable than a wristwatch with the powerful computing capabilities of the iPhone, the MyTrek is sure to result in a more efficient and profitable workout.

Article Written by Mark Rammel

Woman Gets Lost in Woods: Found Thanks to GPS Technology

Admin — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 13:42:57 +0000

A Detroit woman went for a walk with her dogs this past weekend. Enjoying nature to the fullest, the woman lost track of time..and lost her way. Panicked, she phoned 911 from her cell phone to report that she was lost. Within minutes, rescuers were able to pinpoint the woman’s location using cell phone GPS technology.

Even though rescuers were able to discern where the woman was located, they could not find her right away. The area that the woman had wandered into was heavily wooded and full of swampland. Instead of trying to find her on foot, rescuers use a helicopter and a tracking dog. Eventually, the woman and her dogs were located — all parties are safe and unharmed.

The moral of this story? Make sure to bring a cell phone with you when you go out for a walk. Even if you know the area well, it’s still possible to get lost and lose track of time. Even better, carry a GPS tracking device with you, just in case your cell phone doesn’t work. If the woman in question had wandered further into the woods, her cell phone might not have been able to pick up a signal. In an instance such as this one, a GPS tracker would still work.

Article Written by Harriette Halepis