Perfect Laps Just A Keystroke Away For Swimmers Using New System

July 14, 1999

GAINESVILLE — Swimming has entered the digital age.

A University of Florida professor and avid swimmer has designed a computerized lighting system that helps swimmers maintain a rock-steady pace while doing laps, an innovation that should help swimmers train for races while improving their overall skills.

“The coach can program the length of the workout and the time per lap he wants the swimmer to achieve,” said Dave Bloomquist, a UF professor of civil engineering. “After the workout, the computer will graphically display the swimmer’s progress for each lap and how much ahead or behind he or she is compared to the set pace.”

Several undergraduate engineering students helped design the device, which consists of a laptop computer attached to a series of flashing lights in a long, flexible clear plastic tube.

Before a workout, the tube is placed at the pool bottom. The coach then uses a computer program to set the lights, placed a meter apart, to flash in a timed sequence from one end of the pool to the other. The timing of the flashes sets the pace for the swimmer, Bloomquist said.

“Once the program is started, the swimmer simply follows the flashing lights,” he said.

Each time the swimmer completes a lap, the coach presses a button on the laptop. After the workout, the computer compares the swimmer’s pace to the programmed pace, giving the coach and swimmer a profile of the swimmer’s performance, he said.

To eliminate the need for the coach to be present at each workout, Bloomquist plans to add a pool-side touch pad for the swimmer. He also says the system could use lights with different colors to handle two or more swimmers doing laps.

To eliminate the risk of electrical shock and to ensure the lights stay on the pool bottom, the tube is filled with glycerine, a liquid that is heavy, nonconductive and non-toxic. Also, the system uses extremely low voltage, further reducing any risk, Bloomquist said.

Greg Reeves, a UF junior in chemical engineering and member of UF’s swim team, has helped Bloomquist and the students test the device.

He said he thinks it could help competitive swimmers train.

“Let’s say we’re preparing for a big meet, and the coach wants us to do three 100-meter laps at 57 seconds,” Reeves said. “This will help you judge how fast you’re going, because a lot of times you go, say, 51 seconds, which is way too fast.”

The first version of the system was built in the spring semester by electrical engineering seniors Pablo Gonzalez and Steve Blair, as part of a senior design project, Bloomquist said. This summer, Daniel Zahrly, a junior in engineering sciences, and Joseph Lai, a junior in mechanical engineering, have made improvements and modifications to the software and lighting system.