Microcomputer-based acceleration sensor device for swimming stroke monitoring

The purpose of this study was to develop a microcomputer-based acceleration logger device for the swimming stroke monitoring. The authors measured the swimmer's tri-axial wrist acceleration and applied this device for the fatigue evaluation of the swimmers. The experimental protocol led the swimmers exhausted after the crawl stroke interval training. Every single stroke was determined by the impact acceleration peak, which appeared on the x and z-axis acceleration. The change of the underwater stroke phases was identified by the characteristics of the acceleration peaks. In their exhaustion, the y-axis acceleration, which was longitudinal forearm acceleration decreased at the beginning of the upsweep phase. At that time, the swimmer could not extend his elbow joint. Since the developed acceleration data logger could provide us the information about the underwater stroke phases and it would be a helpful tool in the swimming training.