Ear sensor to help train athletes

By Andrew Webb
BBC News website

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Athletes go for gold with an ear sensor - Imperial College's Julien Pansiot and Stuart Jackson of sporting supplier Gaiam-Pro demonstrate hi-tech performance measurement systems.

An ear sensor smaller than a bluetooth headset will start to be tested on professional athletes later this month.

Designed by scientists at Imperial College in London, the device measures the body's movement and transmits the results to a nearby computer.

The information can be interpreted instantly to produce information about posture and gait.

For example, a coach can see from a graph when an athlete sways too much, then alter their running style.

'Brick size'

Researcher Dr Benny Lo told the BBC News website that the ear sensor gives far more valuable information than performance measurement devices used at present.

The BioHarness that measures body performance and posture

"They are only available for the chest, belt, or shoes," he said. "The difference is when you attach a device to the ear you can capture the whole body's movement rather than simply measure the frequency of leg movement."

The device uses a 3D accelerometer - something akin to an electronic spirit level.

The rapidly decreasing size of microprocessors has only recently made an ear monitor possible.

"Before, if you wanted to put a computer on your head it would have had to be the size of a brick," he joked.

For technology that can be bought today, you must turn to systems such as the BioHarness. Developed by New Zealand company Zephyr, it measures a wide range of body functions, such as heart rate, skin temperature and posture.

Both devices are on display until Thursday 10 April at the London Science Museum.