Performance Analysis of a Mechanized System for Para Swimmers Performance Monitoring

The winch-mounted floater system design is a significant break- through in underwater film cinematography that is transferrable to para-swimmer performance observation and addresses drawbacks of available film-based observation methods. Underwater observation protocols have severe limitations such as illumination attenuation, color distortion, and physical risk to coaches who have to hold film camera units manually when proceeding beside swimming pools, with a resultant necessity for a mechanical apparatus that delivers continuous and reliable footage capture in a secure environment. The subject of this project is designing and fabricating a prototype floater, designing a winch motoring mechanism, and integrating both units as a proven performance tracking tool. The experimental design involved designing via 3D print technique two floater prototypes, a tow bar cable-connection and a direct-body-connection model, along with a winch-based Arduino control unit fitted with a BTS7960 motoring driver and 24 V power source. Experimental verification occurred via a private swimming basin using overhead aerial observation via a drone to capture deviate lateral patterns, whereby stabilization of captured footage occurred via DaVinci Resolve and motion observation via tracking software specifically programmed for such application use. The results depicted preferred directional stability of a tow bar version (RMSD = 0.096 m) over a version not connected straight (RMSD = 0.220 m), depicting successful compensation against sideways drift motion in linear motion directionality. This mechanised device presents a practicable and reliable medium through which swimming performances may be observed beneath waters, providing substantial improvements in safety and consistency to assist para-swim coaching procedures.