Smart swimming: How AI is giving coaches a competitive edge

Smart swimming: How AI is giving coaches a competitive edge

Swimming is as much about technique as it is about endurance, and now, cutting-edge technology is making a splash in the sport.

In a groundbreaking collaboration, researchers from SMU and SUTD have developed AI-driven analytics that revolutionise how coaches analyse and refine swimmers’ performances. By harnessing real-time data and advanced video analytics, this innovation is set to redefine training strategies and elevate Singapore’s competitive swimming scene.

The birth of an idea

The project was initiated by SMU Professor of Computer Science Rajesh Krishna Balan and Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship (Education) and President of Singapore Aquatics Kenneth Goh over a cup of coffee at the food court on campus in 2024. The idea surfaced from their discussion about real-time data in high-performance fields.

The project, supported by the Ministry of Education, Singapore, under its Academic Research Fund (AcRF) Tier 1 grant, and funded through the SMU-SUTD Internal Research Grant Call, represents a key milestone in the Joint Research Collaboration between SMU and SUTD, which began in 2022 – a testament to both universities' dedication to innovation and academic excellence.

Working with Singapore Aquatics

The team is currently working with Singapore Aquatics (SAQ) to produce real-time analytics of swimmers at the National Training Centre (NTC) to improve their performance.

Research Fellow Shane Kyi Hla Win from SUTD’s Engineering Product Development pillar operates the drone, which comes with a high-resolution camera, to fly about eight metres above the swimmers as they swim. The video images of the swimmers are then downloaded and analysed by custom analytics and user interface software built by Dr Tran Ngoc Doan Thu, a post-doctoral student and recent SMU Computer Science PhD graduate who is part of a team led by SMU Professor of Computer Science Rajesh Balan and advised by Assistant Professor Kenny Choo from SUTD’s Information Systems Technology and Design pillar and Design and Artificial Intelligence programme.

Impact on coaching

Prof Balan said, “This exciting research can potentially elevate our sporting performance by making coaching more precise, efficient, and cost-effective without huge investments in computing hardware. Real-time insights from video analytics are proving to be a valuable tool in helping coaches to fine-tune their training strategies with greater accuracy. To fully benefit from this technology, coaches need tailored video analytics that align with their coaching methods – allowing them to explore and test key performance hypotheses with confidence.”

Assoc Prof Goh stressed the need for collaboration with regulators to integrate digital solutions, adding: “To innovate and integrate digital solutions effectively, we need to overcome regulatory and practical hurdles, which often involve close collaboration and building trust with regulators and stakeholders.

“This project is a great opportunity to foster collaboration and elevate aquatics in Singapore as well as showcase an interdisciplinary approach across academia and industry to solve real-world problems.”

Training programme optimisation

The system monitors 17 different points of an athlete’s body to help coaches optimise training programmes. It also helps improve performance by identifying critical factors that influence a swimmer’s speed in real time.

The software for this system was also built by Tran Ngoc Doan Thuas part of the team led by Prof Balan. SUTD Associate Professor Kenny Choo advised during this process. It took the team six months to produce the first prototype, and six more months to refine it.

National swimming coach's perspective

National swimming coach Gary Tan has been trying out the system once a month but intends to use it more frequently in an effort to supplement the swimmers’ efforts to set personal bests and national records at the upcoming World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, as well as the SEA Games in Thailand.

Mr Tan said: “From where coaches stand on the side of the pool, we can’t get a top view of certain things like the hands in different angles. This system gives us a more enhanced view during our practices to see if a swimmer is swimming in a symmetrical or non-symmetrical way. The real-time feedback is fantastic as it helps our training become more intentful and smarter.”

The future of AI in swimming

With this pioneering AI-driven system, SMU is not only pushing the frontiers of sports science but also demonstrating the power of interdisciplinary collaboration. As national coaches and athletes leverage this technology into their training regimes, Singapore’s swimmers are poised to reach new heights on the global stage – faster, stronger, and smarter than ever before.