Accelerometers are used in every sport as wearable devices. They are more like sensors that are integrated into different kinds of equipment. The core reason for integration is to enable athletes to have their performances measured. In addition to measuring the performances of sportsmen and women, movement patterns and how body structures respond to activities can also be measured using accelerometers.
One major advantage of measuring performance in sports is to help athletes know their limits as they practice off the pitch, and sometimes on the pitch. Knowing limits provides room for career improvement, managing health situations, and reducing mortality rates in the world of sports. Most of the technologies used in manufacturing an accelerometer are Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, ANT +, and Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS).
Brands that manufacture these accelerometers, meticulously use thorough research and come up with a solution to assist the world of sports in enhancing athletic performance monitoring. There are lots of efforts and work done to produce accelerometers. Research has shown that Artificial Intelligence (AI) with machine learning is used with advanced data analysis and also combining data from accelerometers with other sensors. Some of the companies are Garmin, Fitbit, Apple, Catapult Sports, STATSports, Polar, and Suunto.
Types of Accelerators Produced: There are various types of Accelerometers found around the world. They include:
In-shoe Sensors: These are electronic-driven devices embedded in the shoes of athletes. This is used to track parameters related to foot movement. They are used to track muscle activities, foot temperatures, distance covered by the foot, the speed at which the foot does exercises, the force with which the foot uses, the amount of pressure used as the foot makes contact with the ground, foot strikes, cadence, and foot strikes. A good number of In-Shoe sensor products are Xampion Smart Insoles, DorsaVi Movement Analyser, ASICS Runkeeper, Nike Adapt, etc.
GPS-enabled devices: Global Positioning Devices (GPS) is from the child class of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). GPS is managed and controlled by the United States of America. Their primary purpose is to provide information and help to track the location of anybody. This technology is also used in Sports to track activities like running, cycling, hiking, etc. Some types of GPS-enabled devices include smartwatches, fitness trackers, smartphones, handheld GPS devices, hand clips or hand bands, automotive GPS systems for motorsports, Cycling computers, etc.
Smartphone Applications: Technology has had positive impacts on our everyday living as it aids immense progress in different fields. Accelerometers are products of advancements in technology. Ideas on how to have access to performance monitoring platforms without stressing out yourself are readily available on mobile phone applications. Applications that are present in Android and iOS devices or Cross-platforms like React Native and Flutter are used for fitness and sports, Health and wellness, Productivity and Utility, Development, and Testing. Some Apps include Accelerometer Graphs, Sensor Kinetics, Sensor Logger, Gesture Control, Tasker, Pillow, Sleep Cycle, Google Fit, Strava, MapMyFitness, etc.
Wearable devices: Any device that is worn on the body that aids in the tracking of various physical and health metrics is known as a wearable machine. Their core function is to monitor heart rate, and track activities like the number of calories used, stress monitoring, GPS tracking, sleep tracking, etc. Some popular wearable devices are the Apple Watch, Fitbit, Samsung Gear, Xiaomi MI Band, Huawei Watch, etc.
The use of accelerometers is inevitable when it comes to injury prevention, rehabilitation, performance monitoring, running, and other core benefits that come with it. As the focused goal of every sportsman or sportswoman is to get to the peak, there are also many equipment that are very much available to help achieve success like the accelerometer.
