+++ German Bobsleigh, Luge and Skeleton Federation (BSD) relies on digital expertise from technology partner BMW +++ Data-driven optimisation for material and racing line +++ Virtual simulations of luges and ice track +++ Application of measurement technology from automobile development and motor racing +++
Munich/Oberhof. Supported by BMW as Main Partner, the FIL World Luge Championships in Oberhof are a home event for the German team. The BSD are aiming to add to their list of successes in front of their own fans and have been working towards this objective with the support of technology partner BMW since 2010. In luging, the technology transfer from automobile research, development and production focuses on data-driven optimisation of the complex system of luge and athlete.
This involves measurement and simulation methods that provide lugers with new options for individual development and setup of their luges, as well as for identification of the ideal line. This procedure has long been an established part of vehicle development and motor racing. The BMW Group and the BSD have also been working together on this technology for luging since 2016.
Special sensors, which are installed in the luges to record a range of dynamic data to generate exact reconstructions of the runs on the ice track, and bespoke evaluation software form the core of the innovative and successful project. In this respect, former junior world luge champion Dr. Julian von Schleinitz combines his experience as an athlete with his expertise as a data scientist for the BMW Group. Based on years of accumulated data, he has developed the software that permits determination of the ideal racing line and optimisation of the material and setup for the sports equipment.
“The technological expertise and the know-how of the BMW Group are extremely valuable for us as athletes,” says Felix Loch, who today celebrated his 14th title as the world championship kicked off with the sprint race. “Data-driven analysis is an excellent example of this, as so many variables influence the luge result. The BMW measurement and analysis system sheds light on this complicated nexus and gives us the chance to develop improved solutions based on the data.”
The evaluation provided by the “BMW Data Coach” can reveal much that even an experienced and skilled trainer may miss: minute driver errors, a racing line that is just a shade faster, or the fractional differences between various luge setups.
The dataset grows with each run, enabling an ever more precise simulation model that can make predictions about the use of new components and setups or examine working hypotheses. This makes it possible to perform efficient virtual simulation of many variants in the complex system of luge and athlete, to identify and make even the smallest adjustments.
Every detail counts, especially in luging – ultimately, this is a sport in which the time is displayed in thousandths of a second at the finish line.