Electric Wushu Spear

[GeneChing]

Professor develops electronic scoring for wushu (http://www.taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=138275&ctNode=445)
http://www.taiwantoday.tw/public/data/0122116381571.jpg
Professor develops electronic scoring for wushuCheng Kuang-you, associate professor at National Cheng Kung University, demonstrate a move with the electronic spear he invented. (UDN)
* Publication Date：12/21/2010
* Source： Taiwan Today

An associate professor at National Cheng Kung University has developed an electronic scoring device that could help make Chinese martial arts competitions fairer and less subject to human error.

As of now the system is for use only in fights involving flexible spears, according to Cheng Kuang-you, who teaches at NCKU’s Institute of Physical Education, Health and Leisure Studies.

The spears are equipped with electronic sensors similar to those found on the tips of epees in western-style fencing matches, said Cheng.

The tips will send a signal only when an opponent is struck with the right amount of force and depth, explained Cheng, noting that the sensor will not be activated when the tip touches the ground or the opponent’s spear.

Chinese martial arts, or wushu, have remained a small-scale sport on the international stage largely because scores are not always accurately tallied, Cheng said.

“Blind spots tend to hinder referees during competitions, resulting in disputable scores,” he said. “This is one of the reasons that many international sporting competitions still exclude wushu.”

Cheng said he hopes his invention can make the sport more popular worldwide and help make it acceptable as an Olympic sport. (SB-HZW)
Since when has spear sparring been a part of wushu's Olympic bid? I'd love to see some people fight with these. I'd love to see their armor, rules, etc.

[Lucas]

spear fighting ftw. id love to see some spear fighting competition too.

[SPJ]

cool.

usually you have 4 ref on each corner

and one moving ref

the scores are added up or avg out.

:cool:

[GeneChing]

Do you think that spear head is actually metal or just some other substance painted to look metallic? It could be plastic.

Here's more - this article implies that it *is* metal:

NCKU Associate Prof. Kuang-You B. Cheng Invents E-Scoring Martial Arts Spear (http://www.cnbc.com/id/40746254)
Published: Monday, 20 Dec 2010 | 1:50 AM ET

TAINAN, Taiwan, Dec 20, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- To contribute to Chinese martial arts, Associate Prof. Kuang-You B. Cheng of Institute of Physical Education, Health and Leisure Studies at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Tainan, Taiwan, has invented an innovative E-Scoring Martial Arts Spear and officially issues its patent on December 20th.

NCKU Associate Prof. Kuang-You B. Cheng pointed out, "The E-Scoring Martial Spear has detection functions and can be applied in sports competition to assist judgments of referees, thus allowing the judgments to be fairer. In the future, I hope it can bring up a new fashion of sports and promote martial arts to the Olympic Games." Made up of conductive metals as its main material, the E-Scoring Martial Arts Spear is 2m in length and 0.6kg in weight, and its spear tip is installed with detecting components of electronic sensors, designed to respond when the spear tip touches the competitor's non-conductive body.

Prior to a competition, the Martial Arts Spear has to undergo pressure measurement and adjustment, so when its tip strikes the opponent, the depth and pressure can reach a certain level, without being too light or too shallow, for the scores to count.

In other words, the spear tip has to actually strike the opponent's body and its depth and pressure have to reach a certain level to trigger the detecting component of the electronic sensor.

Associate Prof. Kuang-You B. Cheng mentioned, "Chinese martial arts have a long history and are an important element of the Chinese traditional culture. It illustrates the understanding and experience of the Chinese on the art of body movements, self-operation with self-reliance, self-defense, health and fitness, and also the cultural characteristics, such as the aesthetic taste and thought training, of the Chinese." In recent decades, Chinese martial arts have gradually captured the attention of the world; for instance, starting from 1990 in Beijing, it has become an official competition in Asian Games, and also been accepted as a performance event in 2008 Olympics.

Associate Prof. Kuang-You B. Cheng revealed, "Apart from routine performance or bare-hand combats, fighting with weapons has not yet been listed as an official category but can only be seen in small-scale competitions. The scores are all determined by the judges and vision's dead angles can easily lead to unfair competition and thus affect the results. This is one of the main reasons why it is difficult for Chinese martial arts to become an official category of the Olympic Games." Associate Prof. Kuang-You B. Cheng obtained his dual master's degrees in Kinesiology and Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, U.S., in 1999, and Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering from the University of California, U.S., in 2004, and is currently a Committee Member of International Academic Exchange Program and the Committee Chair of Physical Education Activity Committee, NCKU. He also serves as Main Secretariat of Taiwan Society of Biomechanics in Sports.

SOURCE: National Cheng Kung University CONTACT: National Cheng Kung University News Center Crystal Chen, +886-6-275-7575 ext. 50042 Fax: +886-6-238-9919 crystal@mail.ncku.edu.tw Copyright Business Wire 2010 -0- KEYWORD: Taiwan

[David Jamieson]

hmmn. An interesting adoption of fencing technology.

I am interested to see what a spearman's new armor will be!

Also, sign me up. :D

[donjitsu2]

I was so excited when I saw the title of this post.

I thought to myself, "Hell Yeah! Someone figured out how to build a spear that was good for stabbing and zapping."

Needless to say I was very disappointed. :(

[David Jamieson]

I was so excited when I saw the title of this post.

I thought to myself, "Hell Yeah! Someone figured out how to build a spear that was good for stabbing and zapping."

Needless to say I was very disappointed. :(

why? It stabs, and it zaps.


Now the "Fire spear laser death point™"....yeah, I want one of those too!

[SenseiShellie]

wait...so is this like those electric dog collars that zap the dog when they bark? i'm confused...

[David Jamieson]

lol. no it zaps a sensor and you get a point if you stabbed deep enough.

no stab, no zap. :D

[SenseiShellie]

lol. no it zaps a sensor and you get a point if you stabbed deep enough.

no stab, no zap. :D

LOL! way cool! i want one!

[GeneChing]

It's really hard to tell how this particular device works. With modern fencing, the weapons of both fencers are wired into a controlling machine which can determine who hits first and who hits off target. In foil and saber, the fencers wear a lame, which is an over-jacket made of fine metal mesh, and that completes a circuit. For reasons of target, epee fencers don't wear a lame. All three weapons are fenced on a metal strip so no one can score by hitting the ground. Anyway, that's a lot of electrics, and when you get sweaty, sweat is conductive, so sometimes you will get little mild shocks. It's not lethal, about the same jolt as licking a 9 volt battery, but it can be really bothersome.