Data Analysis with the TraqMate
Data Logger.
Analyzing performance. For the folks out
there that are really interested in this sort of
thing....The link that follows shows a screenshot of the data analysis software
associated with the TraqMate
data logger. The hardware consists of a little box with accelerometers
and is connected to a GPS antenna for position and speed info, and to the car's
computer for tachometer info. Lots of other connections are
possible. The screenshot below shows just one of a million ways to
present the data. The amount of information that can be presented can be
overwhelming. A weekend on the track might mean 150 laps. From that
you might choose to analyze what you were doing on a single turn. So then
you get to identify maybe 10 different runs at that turn and figure out what
exactly you did differently and how that impacted your success on that
turn. Where did you start braking, how hard did you initiate braking, how
even did you stay on the brakes, how close to "threshold" was your
braking, where did you come off of the brakes, and how did that sync with the
build up of lateral forces as you started turning, etc. etc. etc. until you've
analyzed exactly what was happening foot by foot thru the turn.
The "TraqView" screenshot is followed by a map of Roebling. The arrows in the screenshot's graph correspond to arrows on the trackmap. The screenshot shows 4 runs. The 2 red runs are from when I put an instructor in my car so I could collect data to compare to mine (blue). Because my start point of this analysis included some of the straight-away, the velocity scale is small. Therefore a little difference in the graph means a lot of velocity difference. If you look closely you can see where in one of my two turn 1 efforts I braked too much and lost 10mph, which is a heck of a lot. You can also see where the instructor braked harder then I did entering turn 3 so I carried more speed thru the turn.
In fairness to the instructor, who is a sponsored racer that drives an insane Suburu Imprezza, I'm sure that he was very conscious that he was driving a privately owned vehicle, and not owned by him. And from his perspective, the engine was in the wrong end of the car.
The Track Map window shows some of turn 2, and all of turns 3 & 4. The blue dot in turn 4 is me, the red dot is the instructor.
There's tons of ways that the data can be presented. This was only a brief snapshot to get the idea across.
Direction of Travel
Arrows indicate entries into turns 1-4.