BMW technology helping U.S. swimmers improve performance

BMW and the U.S. swimming team have partnered to improve athlete performance in the pool since 2010, and now BMW has developed a new technology that helps the swim team track training and progress, according to a press release on the Laurel BMW website.

The technology, called AU925, focuses on areas that need improvement and notes the accuracy of a swimmer's stroke.

“The resulting Motion Tracking System (AU925) is a combination of computer vision, two software algorithms and body worn LED’s designed to detect and adaptively track a swimmer’s motion. It is a unique and evolving learning system that produces insights for improvement never before possible,” an unnamed member of the BMW Designworks team said in the release.

The system can identify an athlete's trouble areas and even note differences in performance from one side of the body to the other. Swimmers previously had to rely on their coaches to catch such details, which can be hard to spot, the release said.

BMW's assistance has helped the U.S. team and Paralympics teams win 10 medals since 2010, according to the press release.

“Our involvement with USA Swimming and with the Olympic movement in general has always been about the athletes, first and foremost,” Trudy Hardy, vice president of marketing for BMW of North America, said in the release. “I’m proud to say that our collaborations with U.S. Paralympic Track & Field and USA Bobsled & Skeleton have resulted in a combined 10 Olympic and Paralympic medals. It is our hope that we can continue this run of success and help the athletes of USA Swimming reach their goals.”