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Outdoor and Sport Performance Lab

The lab develops and deploys technology to measure performance in training and competition for sports such as swimming, cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, ski jumping, freeskiing and snowboarding, football and handball, and orienteering.

Published Jan. 12, 2024 3:06 PM - Last modified Jan. 12, 2024 3:06 PM
Research participant runs through a series of sensors tracking movement

\Photo: Emil Sollie

We work with sports to help coaches and athletes improve technique, tactics and performance. We work with international federations to learn how they can build safe and attractive sports facilities and we work with the technology industry to establish valid and applicable methods that benefit sport.

About

The laboratory's main area of research is the assessment of performance and its underlying technical and tactical mechanisms in sports such as swimming, cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, ski jumping, handball, soccer and orienteering. Performance aspects are assessed in the natural environment of the sport (on snow, in water, on the pitch) to maximise the relevance and usability of the findings for elite sports teams and individuals.

To enable valid measurement of the sports with minimal interference of the athletes, the lab is developing and actively collaborating with the sports technology industry to establish measurement and analysis systems that are accurate and suitable for elite sport. These novel methods are also being used to assist international sport federations in developing safe but attractive courses for snow sports.

Methods

  • Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS/GPS, consumer grade, standalone)
  • Differential Global Navigation Satellite Systems (RTK - GNSS/GPS, industrial grade)
  • Inertial Navigation Systems (Industrial grade differential GNSS coupled with IMU)
  • Inertial Measurement Systems - Local Positioning Systems (for indoor and outdoor use)
  • Video (different types, time synchronized)
  • Video based Photogrammetry System
  • Photocell Timing Systems
  • Plantar Pressure Measurement Insoles
  • Anemometer (Windspeed measurement)
  • Swimming Underwater Camera System
  • Swimming AIM Performance Measurement System
  • Swimming Swiss Timing Start and Turning Timing System
  • Marker based Infrared Camera System

Tachymetry, Land Surveying Methods Tests For racing sports like swimming, cross country skiing, alpine skiing and snowboarding, running, cycling, in field measurement of instantaneous performance:

  • Time
  • Speed
  • Power
  • Energy dissipation
  • Pathlength
  • Cycle / Turn Characteristics
  • Technique Choice / Gear
  • Acceleration / Force

For technical snow sports like ski jumping, big air, slopestyle, infield measurement of:

  • Topography of Courses
  • Kinematics and kinetics of inrun and flight trajectories
  • Landing Characteristics (Equivalent Fall Height)

Technique Assessment For Team Sports (indoor and outdoor) in field measurement of load and performance characteristics:

  • Physical Load
  • Speed
  • Acceleration
  • Pathlength

Teaching

THP 300 Sport Biomechanics

Research

Continuous research collaboration with the Norwegian Ski Federation (NSF) on performance enhancement and motor learning in cross country skiing, alpine skiing and ski jumping.

Assessment of health and performance enhancement in soccer, a collaboration with the Norwegian Football Federation (NFF)

Performance assessment in elite and youth swimming, a collaboration with the Norwegian Swimming Federation (NSF)

Performance assessment in biathlon, a collaboration with the International Biathlon Union (IBU)

Research collaboration with the International Ski Federation (FIS) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on the design of safe coursesin snowsports such as alpine skiing, freeski and snowboard.

Contact

Picture of Matthias Felix Gilgien
Head of Laboratory
Email
matthiasg@nih.no
Phone
+47 23 26 23 50