The Measuring System of a Marathon Runner

The measuring system of a marathon runner by using the realtime image processor Picot (PICture COmpuTer) and fast graphic processor HSP has been newly developed. It includes two subsystems, pitch (step frequency) detection and CG display of a runner. Pitch detection subsystem detects the runner's pitch by image processing. CG display subsystem detects the position of the joints of the runner's legs and displays their motion at realtime rate. legs and displays their motion at realtime rate. At first, data of runner's legs are stored in the data memory,then skelton lines are detected and positions of the joints are specified. Finally parameters of sine curves which express the motion of leg's joints are obtained and transmitted to the CG controller through LAN, and CG display is generated by the graphic processor. The results of pitch detection had been broadcasted several times in the 1990's Osaka lady's marathon race and as for CG display, main parts of the process have been already implemented.