Watch Force

[sirgilligan]

I have developed an Apple Watch app called WatchForce. I wanted to record the motion and forces an Apple Watch can detect via the accelerometer and gyroscopes.

I have used this app on thrill rides and roller coasters, AND I have used it while shooting pistols.

Here is the G-Forces recorded while shooting my CZ 85B.

Now I know that an Apple Watch and iPhone are not inexpensive, but hey, if you have them already you can use the app to discover some interesting information.

Here I select the data and I can see very precise values including their times.

Since this is done via the watch and not using sound, there is no interference from others at the range.

What other things might you want to measure?

Here I measure the recoil recovery time by selecting the point where the shot is clearly underway, the highest point, and the first point where the motion has settled down.

I find it interesting. Maybe if I could get a few hundred or even thousand data sets from users I could Machine Learn a very sophisticated shot analyzer. This is a starting place at least!

 

[Winny]

Interesting idea!

I looked on the App Store with little luck...

Could the App be used to monitor holster draw times?

What about Dry Fire trigger breaks?

Recoil tracking is cool!

 

[sirgilligan]

Interesting ideas. I am sure the motion of drawing from a holster would be recorded. I wonder what the graph looks like.

You couldn’t find the app on the App Store? It requires the latest Watch OS and latest iOS and is only available in the USA.

I think I know why you didn’t find it, the name is one word, WatchForce.

 

[sirgilligan]

So, I tried dry firing and drawing. Let's start with dry firing.
First off, it was not easy to do by myself. The way I did it was to lay my phone down and start the app via the phone and then stop it via the phone.

I used my S&W 659, double action mode. All of my pistols are metal, hammer fired types.

Five dry fires

Using the filter slider I remove noise until it seems reasonable and then I tap to get some data.

I have no idea what might be recorded with a really smooth and soft trigger.

 

[sirgilligan]

The holster draw was equally difficult to start and stop by myself. I used the phone to control the app on the watch. I put the phone on a table, started the app with my off hand, draw, and then stop the watch app with my off hand via the phone.

I was pleased to see the motion is easily recognized.

So, I select where I think the motion started and stopped and I get a time for the draw.

I did this several times and the motion pattern was very similar each time.

Trying to time it by myself wasn't ideal. I think what I would do would be to start the app from the watch, put my hand to my side for a moment to get a non-movement state recorded, and then draw, not move for a moment and then stop the app from the watch.

Thanks for the idea of things that can be recorded and analyzed! I wonder what else would be interesting?

If you have an Apple Watch try it out. It is free for now.

 

[Winny]

Thanks!

I’ll look for the app again once I update my phone. I do have a watch and the data could be helpful in training.

Cool stuff!

 

[sirgilligan]

Thanks!

I’ll look for the app again once I update my phone. I do have a watch and the data could be helpful in training.

Cool stuff!

I don't know that there has ever been an app like this. I hope over the months and years that it will become clear what an app like this should do, how it should do it, etc. This is just a first attempt at a new area. I hope there will be competitors as well. I know my Gun Log apps improved greatly competing against the other Range Log apps that are out there.

 

[Winny]

Best of luck, I hope to see it take off.