Techniques for synchronizing crews in competitive rowing

A computer-implemented method for providing immediate feedback to rowers, the method comprising:

• receiving from a set of stroke unit devices data that represent changes in acceleration of a user's seat, with a first one of the changes being an indication of a start of a stroke and a second one of the changes being an indication of a completion of a stroke;
• receiving data that represent start points of reference strokes and completion points of the reference strokes;
• generating from the received data from the set of stroke unit devices and the data that represent the reference strokes, feedback data that correspond to relative stroke timing differences relative to the reference stroke;
• and
• transmitting the generated feedback data to user devices according to a feedback mechanism.

An apparatus comprises:

• a processor device;
• memory operatively coupled to the processor device;
• and
• a storage device storing a computer program product for configuring the device to:
• receive from a set of stroke unit devices data that represent changes in acceleration of users' seats corresponding to users' oars being placed into water;
• receive reference stroke data corresponding to reference user's oar being placed into the water;
• generate from the received data from the set of stroke unit devices and the received reference strokes data, feedback data that correspond to relative stroke timing differences relative to the reference stroke;
• and
• transmit the generated feedback data to user devices according to a feedback mechanism.

A computer program product tangibly stored on a non-transitory hardware storage device the computer program product comprising executable instructions to cause an apparatus to:

• receive from a set of stroke unit devices data that represent changes in acceleration of users' seats corresponding to users' oars being placed into water;
• receive reference stroke data corresponding to reference user's oar being placed into the water;
• generate from the received data from the set of stroke unit devices and the received reference strokes data, feedback data that correspond to relative stroke timing differences relative to the reference stroke;
• and
• transmit the generated feedback data to user devices according to a feedback mechanism.