4 ms·

So, build the pool slightly oversize, and have movable boards at one end that are laser-ranged to an accurate distance.

zappo2938 10y ago
The have hard enough time just keeping the water not bright green.
gingerrr 10y ago
If the presence or absence of people can affect the size, wouldn't the fact that swimmers start out of water and dive in screw this up? Unless the boards were mechanized/able to adjust after the fact to maintain the correct distance despite changes to the pool environment. I was imagining setting up the boards prior to the race, but if they are responsive that's different.
paulcole 10y ago
Cool, problem solved. Can't wait to see this at the next Olympics!
brianwawok 10y ago
Sounds like something an engineer would say :) Sure you can solve the problem. Is the solution worse than the problem? I think it might be here. A few ties beat spending millions on Lazer walls.
- Shish2k 10y ago
  The olympics cost ~$15 billion to host; an accurate range finding device costs a couple of hundred dollars. Heck, with a 3cm margin of error right now, even a $20 tape measure would be an improvement. I'm sure they can afford it :P
  - brianwawok 10y ago
    I think you missed the part about the pool expanding and contracting as the temperature changes. Also, think about the false start measurement devices. Are those accurate to a a microsecond?
    - Shish2k 10y ago
      > expanding and contracting as the temperature changes. So measure and adjust the adjustable end-plates a few minutes before each round starts? How rapidly can the temperature change? (I have no idea, but I'm struggling to imagine it changing a huge amount in a small amount of time) > think about the false start measurement devices. Are those accurate to a a microsecond? I have no idea, but I don't see why not. 10,000 FPS cameras are available on the general market already, so you could record each swimmer's start and adjust the timings as if they had all started at the same moment :)
  - danso 10y ago
    There's probably more to setting up a sophisticated time-keeping operation than buying equipment.
    - Shish2k 10y ago
      I'm sure there is - I'd like to know what the real problems are, because I'm pretty certain that "we don't have the technology to accurately measure 50m" can't be the whole story :)

The have hard enough time just keeping the water not bright green.

If the presence or absence of people can affect the size, wouldn't the fact that swimmers start out of water and dive in screw this up? Unless the boards were mechanized/able to adjust after the fact to maintain the correct distance despite changes to the pool environment. I was imagining setting up the boards prior to the race, but if they are responsive that's different.

paulcole 10y ago

Cool, problem solved. Can't wait to see this at the next Olympics!

brianwawok 10y ago

Sounds like something an engineer would say :) Sure you can solve the problem. Is the solution worse than the problem? I think it might be here. A few ties beat spending millions on Lazer walls.

Shish2k 10y ago
The olympics cost ~$15 billion to host; an accurate range finding device costs a couple of hundred dollars. Heck, with a 3cm margin of error right now, even a $20 tape measure would be an improvement. I'm sure they can afford it :P
- brianwawok 10y ago
  I think you missed the part about the pool expanding and contracting as the temperature changes. Also, think about the false start measurement devices. Are those accurate to a a microsecond?
  - Shish2k 10y ago
    > expanding and contracting as the temperature changes. So measure and adjust the adjustable end-plates a few minutes before each round starts? How rapidly can the temperature change? (I have no idea, but I'm struggling to imagine it changing a huge amount in a small amount of time) > think about the false start measurement devices. Are those accurate to a a microsecond? I have no idea, but I don't see why not. 10,000 FPS cameras are available on the general market already, so you could record each swimmer's start and adjust the timings as if they had all started at the same moment :)
- danso 10y ago
  There's probably more to setting up a sophisticated time-keeping operation than buying equipment.
  - Shish2k 10y ago
    I'm sure there is - I'd like to know what the real problems are, because I'm pretty certain that "we don't have the technology to accurately measure 50m" can't be the whole story :)