Technology in frame for Olympic gold

Olympic ski teams from Austria, Germany, Switzerland and the US, along with NBC and other TV networks, are using technology to see frame-by-frame sequences of an athlete's performance.

Dartfish's Simulcam advanced computer software is based on the concept that whenever two athletes are competing at different times, but over the same terrain, the image can be combined in one display with both athletes apparently competing together in a single image.

The software program examines each run in stop action by overlaying one athlete over another.

Using Panasonic Palmcorders, the US team videotaped American contenders in the 2002 Olympics luge competition. Coaches then downloaded the video into a Panasonic ruggedised notebook for analysis.

Duncan Kennedy, coach of the US luge junior development team, said the athletes benefit greatly, not only by watching video of themselves, but also more experienced Olympic athletes.

"With the availability of the Dartfish video training software, the technology can only help them improve," Kennedy said.

The Simulcam software, which integrates two lugers into a single image, also allows coaches to analyse head and feet placement of the different lugers on the same run.

Dartfish created Simulcam images for the men's and women's Downhill, Combined Downhill and Slalom, Super G and Giant Slalom races at the Olympics.

Television stations broadcasting the enhanced images include the Swiss network, SRG/SSR, the Austrian network ORF, the German network ARD/ZDF, the Norwegian network TV2 and the US network NBC.