Leoben researcher develops sensor-equipped swim paddles

A researcher at Montan University Leoben has developed electronic swim paddles that record swimmers’ movements and the force they apply with each stroke, ORF reports.

The hand-sized devices are attached to swimmers’ hands and measure how they move through the water. Their data can later be analysed for stroke technique, force and acceleration.

The project began as a master’s thesis by student Lukas Wagenhofer and has since grown into his doctoral research. He said he was drawn to the challenge of developing reliable sensors for a field with few existing tools and making the equipment waterproof.

Wagenhofer and a small team programmed and built the paddles. Fellow students and the Leoben sports institute helped with testing and swimming expertise. Sports scientist Carola Rainer said combining coaching knowledge with the data and video analysis could help swimmers identify what to improve.

Wagenhofer plans to make the paddles smaller and expand the range of sensors, potentially placing them on swimmers’ feet and torsos so they can communicate and provide a fuller picture of a swimmer’s movements. Swimmers from the Italian Olympic development team have already signed up for initial tests with elite athletes.