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TellmeG Impact sensor for DH - Feedback & interest

accelg

Chimp
Nov 13, 2013
4
0
I am looking for feedback and comments about the new TellmeG impact sensor application for DH. It has been mostly tested in XC but I feel that it would we quite valuable in DH.

The TellmeG MTB app is basically a High G impact sensor that you attach on the handlebar or the suspension and it actually provides precise impact value ( in acceleration unit, G) of the impact felt by the bike or the suspension components.
Throughout our testing, we found it provides great feedback on the ability of a mountain biker going downhill to choose the best path (avoiding rocks, boulders, holes) and maintain speed. A low average impact value was most of the time associated with the best time to complete a downhill section.
We also used it to adjust the suspension settings and to compare suspension on different bikes. It really helps in providing a real number to a suspension behavior instead of just relying on "feeling". Attachment to a bike is pretty simple and straightforward.

The Project is hosted here on KStarter:
http://kck.st/17cJCTr

suspension_tellmeg.jpgDSC_2356.jpg
 

mtg

Green with Envy
Sep 21, 2009
1,862
1,604
Denver, CO
Cool idea for basic accel recording. While it's not going to be used as a true engineering system, it also costs about an order of magnitude less than "proper engineering daq".

What type of sample rate does it have?
 

accelg

Chimp
Nov 13, 2013
4
0
Good question about the sample rate. It is set for 1Khz, or 1000 samples per seconds. It will keep and analyze acceleration values that exceed a configurable threshold - default at 7G.
 

Beast

Turbo Monkey
May 23, 2002
1,579
0
Where the riding is good
I'm intrigued. Assuming it's possible to download the data to a computer for analysis, how many seconds of data can be recorded at the 1000 samples per second data rate with the on board memory? Can the memory be upgraded?
 

accelg

Chimp
Nov 13, 2013
4
0
There is a 16Mbit Flash memory on the board. This would provide approximately 400K samples. But it cannot record continuously because of the delay for writing from RAM to Flash. So it will store into flash a burst of data after it reach a specific threshold ( for example a 3G impact).
 

mtg

Green with Envy
Sep 21, 2009
1,862
1,604
Denver, CO
As long as I didn't screw up my math, that's 6.66 total minutes of recording. So, it should be able to record pretty much a full DH race run, if I understand correctly. Except, it can't do a consecutive full 400 seconds? (Assuming one could actually keep the accel above the threshold for the entire time also)

I'm also intrigued... it looks like you guys are on to something.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,369
1,605
Warsaw :/
It's a good toy but in my opinion it may lead to very strange suspension setups since it may actually be harder for some people to set it up from data than for example the way Cane Creek suggests.

Though I wonder if it could be used to compare how different suspension systems handle rough sections of a track
 

accelg

Chimp
Nov 13, 2013
4
0
I think I should have given more explanation regarding the 1kHz sampling rate. Here's how it works: A high sampling rate is good to make sure you will catch that big spike in the acceleration data stream - that big spike is your max G impact. If you had a low sampling rate (like for example 10Hz), you might just miss it or under-evaluate its value. Most smartphones have a very low sampling rate (5 Hz) because the processor is so busy refreshing all these facebook updates for example.
Anyway that said, the accelerometer chipset inside the TellmeG is basically a spring that extend and compress when there is an impact. This 'movement' is sampled at 1kHz. After that impact, it always take some time (read milliseconds) for the spring to come back to the 'relax' position. In other words, you are practically getting new impact data 5 to 10 times per seconds although you are sampling at 1khz.
In our experience with XC, this is fully adequate. We are more interested in impacts over 5-7G that really means something than all the 'vibrations' with low G values.