What happens when you take an accelerograph to record laps around a race track? You get lots of data to plot and analyse, and have lots of fun!
The SRC’s Chief Scientist, Adam Pascale, took a Gecko SMA (strong motion accelerograph) along to a driver training course at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit to record vehicle motion. As well as measuring 3D acceleration 250 times per second, the specially modified version of Gecko firmware also allowed the logging of the seismograph’s GPS position every second (normally only stored once per minute) so that speed could be calculated, but also revealing the locations on the track where maximum acceleration, braking, and lateral grip occurred.
Check out the video below: