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X-Sender: maies@pop.kubism.ku.dk
Date: Fri, 16 Jan 1998 08:43:10 +0100
To: gideon@arielnet.com
From: "Erik B. Simonsen" <E.Simonsen@mai.ku.dk>
Subject: M Shyam Sunder
Date: Fri, 16 Jan 1998 08:41:21 +0100
From: "Erik B. Simonsen" <E.Simonsen@mai.ku.dk>
Dear Mr
I will try my best to answer the questions you posed concerning the APAS
system:
1) Has the equipment been functioning trouble free ?
Yes, we have never had any problems with the hardware. Of course we have
had questions about this and that in the software, but this has always been solved via
email.
2) Is the equipment useful for the analysis of the techniques of various
sports disciplines.
We have analysed the 10 best jumps in triple jump from the world
championships in Gothenburg 1995 and some of the long jumps. Here in Denmark we have
analysed long jump, cycling, kicking in taek kwondo, the instep place kick in soccer,
weightlifting, side step cutting (team handball), rowing and swimming among other things.
Also in sweden I have tried to work with javelin throwing.
It is a big advantage to work with common video, which is very useful for
field studies in sports. A real nice thing with the APAS is that 3D analysis is very easy
to perform, which is not always the case with other systems. I have helped the national
head coach of javelin throw in Sweden to start using the APAS for 3D technical analysis.
Often it is only necessary to use 2 cameras to obtain real good 3D results.
3) How many frames per second ?
We haven't yet bought any high speed video cameras due to the prices. For
fast 2D events we use a high speed 16 mm film camera running up to 500
frames per second. Then we transfer the 16 mm film to video by a special
device (ELMO TRV-16GICCD) and analyse it with the APAS.
With common video we use normally a high speed shutter for fast movements
to freeze the moving limbs on each frame.
We perform a lot of gait analysis and "braking" actions on people with a
ruptured anterior cruciate ligament, which is a common but serious sports
injury, as you will know. This kind of analysis is performed with 5 video
cameras, 2 force platforms (AMTI) and EMG. The APAS system is doing very
fine with this advanced setup, as we use small white markers and the
automatic digitizing facility of the system.
4) Year of purchase and cost ?
As I recall we bought the system in late 1994 or early 1995. The price was about $55,000,
but of course the price varies depending on the options, which you might add to the basic
system.
5) Does the company attend promptly to the repairs whenever there is a
problem with equipment ?
Yes absolutely and I think they deserve credit for that. We have never
experienced hardware problems, however, we have asked for changes in the
software, which we sometimes have received the very same day. Short
questions have always been answered within 24 hours.
6) Does the company upgrade the system periodically free of charges ?
Yes, we have recieved several new program versions without any charge. Also we have had
several "work stations" of the system installed on separate computers for a low
cost. In this way we can digitize on several computers at the same time.
7) Do you recommend to purchase the 3D Motion Analysis system from Ariel
Dynamics ?
Absolutely, in my lab we have only had good experiences with the system and the company,
and finally I should mention, that we have found the price very attractive.
If you decide to buy the APAS, my colleagues and I will be happy to help
you sort out problems using our experience with analysis of sports events.
Sincerely
Erik B. Simonsen
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Erik B. Simonsen, Associate Professor, Msc. Ph.D.
Institute of Medical Anatomy section C.
Panum Institute. University of Copenhagen
Blegdamsvej 3., DK-2200 Copenhagen N
DENMARK
Phone: +45 35 32 72 30 (work) Fax: +45 35 32 72 17
Phone: +45 45 89 45 86 (home)
E-mail: E.Simonsen@mai.ku.dk
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Erik B. Simonsen, Ph.D.From
