Vicon Blue Trident —Dual-g Wearable IMU Sensor for Biomechanics & Sport Analysis

The Vicon Blue Trident is the next-generation wearable Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) for for Athlete Load Monitoring, Sports Biomechanics & Return-to-Sport Analysis—features the dual-g IMU, engineered to capture up to 200g of data.

At 9.5 grams and 42 × 27 × 11mm — 25% smaller and lighter than its predecessor — the Blue Trident is genuinely wearable without altering movement. With IP68 waterproofing, 12-hour battery life, Bluetooth 5 connectivity, and sampling rates of 1125Hz (low-g) / 1600Hz (high-g), it delivers laboratory-grade measurement quality in the field, on the training pitch, in the pool, and in the rain.

The Blue Trident sensor addresses the critical problem of sensor saturation in biomechanical measurement, a limitation that previously hindered reliable data collection for high-speed or high-force movements in sports. Traditional Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensors, typically limited to ±16g, wouldsaturate orclip when movements exceeded their range, leading to a loss of crucial data for events like changes of direction, decelerations, landings, and sprinting .

Dual-g Innovation: Eliminating Saturation

The Blue Trident sensor introduces a dual-g capability, featuring two accelerometers that operate simultaneously. The first accelerometer provides 16-bit sensitivity for high-fidelity movements up to ±16g, effectively separating noise from movement. If a movement surpasses this threshold, a second accelerometer activates, capable of measuring accelerations up to ±200g . This design ensures that high-intensity impacts, such as kicking or intense sprinting, are captured without sensor saturation .

This simultaneous capture architecture is crucial because it eliminates switching delays. Both the low-g and high-g sensors capture data in parallel from the first millisecond of a session, ensuring continuous data streams. This means impact peaks are fully captured, unlike previous systems where data would be lost at the point of saturation .

•Continuous Low-g Resolution: The ±16g low-g sensor maintains maximum resolution for the majority of movements below the saturation threshold (e.g., walking, jogging), preserving signal-to-noise quality .

•Full High-g Capture: For extreme events like maximum velocity sprinting, jump landings, or contact sport impacts, the ±200g high-g sensor captures accelerations without clipping, providing a complete picture for injury risk assessment and return-to-sport protocols .

High Sampling Rates for Detailed Analysis

To accurately capture rapid biomechanical events, the Blue Trident's dual-g accelerometers record at 1125Hz and 1600Hz respectively . This high sampling rate is vital for understanding events that occur in fractions of a second, such as an elite sprinter's foot contact, which can last as little as 0.085 seconds . At 1600Hz, the high-g accelerometer acquires 1,600 data points per second, providing 136 data samples for a 0.085-second sprint foot contact. This temporal resolution allows for detailed characterization of the loading profile, including initial impact peak, loading rate, peak load, offloading rate, and time-to-peak . The 1125Hz gyroscope offers equivalent temporal resolution for angular velocity measurement, crucial for technique analysis in rotational and overhead sports .

IP68 Waterproof: Expanding Application Domains

The Blue Trident sensor boasts an IP68 waterproof rating, tested for submersion up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes, and even deeper for longer durations . This robust design opens up new application domains previously inaccessible to IMU systems:

•All-Weather Field Analysis: The sensor functions reliably in rain, mud, and wet conditions, allowing athletes to wear it throughout training and competition without compromise .

•Underwater Treadmill Rehabilitation: It enables accurate measurement of lower limb effects during aquatic treadmill rehabilitation, where water buoyancy reduces effective body weight .

•Swimming and Aquatic Sports: The IP68 rating, combined with Bluetooth 5 connectivity, facilitates real-time or logged data capture during swimming, diving, canoeing, and other water-based activities