Fraunhofer Center for Assistive Information and Communication Solutions – AICOSThe number of waves surfed, speed and distance in wave. These are some of the metrics that can now be measured thanks to the SmartSurf, an application developed by a team of experts at Fraunhofer Portugal.
SmartSurf aims to analyze surfers’ performance, quantitatively, in real-time. The smartphone sensors are used to collect data and compute performance metrics, such as number of waves surfed, average and maximum speed, ride duration and distance in wave. Maneuvers are also detected and the angles of turns or the height of airs may also be computed.
The app may be used by surfers all around the world to measure their performance and compare statistics. Researchers from Fraunhofer Portugal will start working with competition athletes and trainers to develop the project into a training tool in order to improve the performance of the athletes. Moreover, during television broadcasting of Surf Championships the metrics may be computed in real-time and showed along with the surfing images.
It is estimated to exist around 23 million surfers worldwide. Moreover, in Portugal, there is a coastline of 1.794 kilometers, a high number of surf beaches and an increasing number of surf athletes.