Turning Point:Trajectory Analysis for Skiers

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As with a growing number of athletes, competitive skiers are looking to GNSS technology to help evaluate and improve performance. Positions logged during practice runs or races can be transformed into 3-D models of the exact trajectories skied to measure velocity, accelerations, and other performance variables. However, terrain and trees and other obstructions along a ski run can block satellite signals - suggesting a need to add low-cost inertial sensors to support continuous, accurate, and affordable positioning.

Adrian Wägli and Jan Skaloud

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Author Profiles

Adrian Wägli obtained a M.Sc. in geomatics engineering from EPF Lausanne, Switzerland, for his work on the ionospheric corrections of EGNOS. After working as a surveyor for the Swiss Federal Office of Topography, he joined the Geodetic Engineering laboratory of EPFL in 2004 as a Ph.D. student. His research focuses on the integration of satellite and inerital navigation systems for performance analysis in sports.

Jan Skaloud is a scientist and lecturer at the Institute of Geomatics at EPF Lausanne, Switzerland. He holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in geomatics engineering from the University of Calgary (Canada) and Dipl. Ing. in surveying engineering from the Czech Institute of Technology, Prague. He has been involved with GPS research and development since 1993 and has worked extensively on the integration of GPS and inertial navigation systems for precise airborne and terrestrial mapping.