Wireless Foil and Epee Fencing Transmitter/Receiver
$25-50 USD / óra
I am looking for someone to assist in the design of a transmitter/receiver system for the sport of Fencing. (I believe it's crucial that the freelancer be someone who fences, or is very knowledgeable about fencing.) If you feel that this is a project you are capable of, and interested in, designing, let's discuss details.
Currently, fencing is primarily an analog, wired sport. The foil and lame are connected to a bodycord, which is then connected to a reel which plays out behind the fencer as he moves back and forth across the strip. The reel is then connected to a scoring box, or a computer with scoring software. There are a few new wireless systems available (notably systems from EnPointe, Favero, Leon Paul, and HitMate.) But they are very expensive ($400-800), and seem to be designed to supplant the entire scoring system, or the reel, but do not eliminate the bodycord...which is one of the primary points of failure in fencing.
I would like to design a simple, low cost 3 piece wireless kit that has a low profile wireless unit that plugs directly into the foil, a small wireless box that clips on to the lame for Foil fencing, and a receiver/control unit that plugs into the reel (or directly to the scoring box). Basically, eliminating the bodycord (and possibly reel). Ideally, the control unit would have a switch to select between foil and epee, and the wireless units would have a rechargeable battery with either contactless charging, or through the same prongs used to plug it into the foil/epee, with a small LED battery meter. The wireless unit that plugs into the weapon could be turned on and off by contact: plugging it into the weapon, rather than have a switch. The three units should be paired with a unique, unchangeable code, and the wireless stream would need to be encoded to eliminate interference (intentional or accidental) during tournaments.
Since the current standard is simply a wire, with no circuitry, I cannot imagine that sending the simple on/off signal from the foil and lame would require intricate circuitry or processing. Actually, I think that allowing the current scoring boxes to do their jobs with timing and processing, by simply passing the current reading on to the scoring box would be the lowest cost, simplest solution, allowing clubs to integrate wireless fencing without the high cost of replacing entire scoring systems.
For more information, I have found paper (written a decade ago) on a possible RFID-based wireless solution. I have attached a link to that paper, as well as a link to USA fencing's rule book, which details the voltages, amperages, weights, etc, for the wired signaling used in fencing. I have attached those links below.
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Projektazonosító: #18331384