This is exactly the sort of thing that made me want to be an engineer.
Dr Chris Baber from [the University of Birmingham, England's] department of Electronic, Electrical and Computer Engineering has collaborated with researchers at the National Technical University of Athens to make an ‘on-body’ computer which will track the acceleration, pace and body temperature of the wearer.
The computer, which is strapped to an athlete’s chest and wrists, sends signals to a receiver via a radio link. In the case of a volleyball game, there is a corresponding data collector in the ball which, when hit by the player, also sends information back to the receiver. The data is collected on a laptop and a graph produced which shows detailed information about the forces from the hand of the player and the forces applied to the ball.
(via AOGB)
