Including visual criteria into predictive simulation of acrobatics to enhance the realism of optimal techniques
Eve Charbonneau, Thomas Romeas, Annie Ross, Mickaël Begon · 2024
To perform their acrobatics successfully, trampolinists make real-time corrections mainly based on visual feedback.Despite athletes' heavy reliance on visual cues, visual criteria have not been introduced into predictive simulations yet.We aimed to introduce visual criteria into predictive simulations of the backward somersault with a twist and the double backward somersault with two twists in pike position to generate innovative and safe optimal acrobatic techniques.Different visual vs kinematics objective weightings were tested to find a good compromise.Four international coaches and two international judges assessed animations of the optimal techniques and of an elite athletes technique, providing insights into the acceptability of the optimal techniques.For the most complex acrobatics, coaches found the optimal techniques more efficient for aerial twist creation.However, they perceived them as less safe, less realistic, similarly aesthetic, and similarly appropriate for visual information intake compared with the athlete's technique.The scores given by the judges were twice as high for the optimal technique compared to the athlete's technique.This study highlights the importance of including visual criteria into the optimization of acrobatics to improve the relevance of the optimal techniques for the sporting community.