BAE’s Olympic bid

BAE’s scientists, usually responsible for developing UAV control software and explosive detection equipment, were challenged to develop an electronic device to measure accuracy and the consistency of timing between the first and second shot in Olympic double trap shooting to 0.01 of a second. Dr George Simpson, Senior Scientist at BAE Systems’ Advanced Technology Centre said: “The solution seemed fairly simple at first, but typically, as our understanding has grown, so has the complexity required to solve the problem. The system we’ve tested today (7 July) comprises a directional microphone and a peak detection algorithm to determine the time difference between the two shots, whilst filtering out down range noise. We’re able to use the system to evaluate individual performance, which we hope will prove useful to the teams in their final preparations this month.” Ian Coley, Great Britain National Coach for Olympic double trap, said it had never before been possible to accurately calculate timing variations between shots in the double trap event – with shots fired approximately 0.4 seconds apart, it was simply not possible to measure manually. “In the increasingly competitive world of athletics, performance standards continue to rise and the difference between winning and losing is reduced to mere fractions of a second,” he added. “As such, we are increasingly looking to technology to give our British athletes the competitive edge. This new device developed by BAE Systems will record and analyse timing and its impact on accuracy, helping to boost future gold medals hopes.” Olympic gold medallist Richard Faulds said he had been searching for precision timing equipment for years and looked forward to training with to enhance his performance. BAE has established a five year partnership with UK Sport to help British athletes in their quest for sporting excellence in World and European Championships as well as the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The project with the British Shooting Team is one of a number of initiatives through which the defence contractor is delivering expertise in structural and mechanical engineering, aerodynamics, hydrodynamics, mathematical modelling and simulation, human factors and materials science. Other projects include work with the British cycling, sailing and bob skeleton teams. The Olympic double trap shooting event requires competitors to shoot two clay targets, released simultaneously, with three rounds of 50 targets. Competitors need to fire their two shots as closely together as possible to ensure that both are hit.