May 12, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Montreal Canadiens defenseman Tom Gilbert (77) tries to slow Tampa Bay Lightning center Tyler Johnson (9) during the third period of an NHL hockey game in game six of the second round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena. The Lightning won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Hockey has not quite caught on to the technology boom that is changing the way teams track their players’ progress.
But that may change with new wearable technology specifically made for hockey that will debut at this year’s Body Sensors Network Conference at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The new tracking technology is being created by Michael Hardegger, an engineer from Zurich, Switzerland. It uses sensors on the player’s hockey sticks to determine the pressure, strain and motion of a player’s shot. Sensors on skates can tell how fast a player moves their feet and how fast they move overall.
“In hockey, there are some specific things we know are optimal. For example, some beginners have their hands too high on the stick,” Hardegger told NewScientist. “This system tells you what you can improve.”
All of the data is sent to a mobile device where a smartphone app lets players review their abilities and techniques and compare it to other players. The app is able to differentiate between jumps, turns and power strokes.
Eight players from the Swiss League EHC Olten got to test the technology earlier this year. The results will be shared at MIT’s body sensor conference.
Hardegger’s wearable will join a number of other devices around sports that were created to track player progress.
