Fully automatic time
It is also used in competitive swimming, for which the swimmers themselves record a finish time by touching a touchpad at the end of a race.
In order to verify the equipment, or in case of failure, a backup system (typically manual) is usually used in addition to FAT.
An alternative starting light or sound which is electronically triggered, such as a horn, is typically also wired to the timing system.
The current photo-finish system used in Olympic competition, as well as other top-level events uses a digital line-scan camera aimed straight along the finish line.
Recently, there have been significant advances in full-frame video timing which utilizes a full sensor array rather than a single line.
This has followed from the advent of low-cost machine vision technologies which has made possible systems that surpass 1/100 second time resolution.
Owing to these developments and the lower cost compared with line-scan systems, video timing has seen some limited level of adoption at a few high-school and collegiate events.
The inability of these systems to perform what is known as a "zero control test" means that they do not comply with the requirements of the IAAF or other national governing bodies to be classified as fully automatic timing (FAT).
This type of FAT technology is used widely in the world of sports performance and movement research and can be much more affordable and easy to use when compared to the camera based systems.
The other was provided with a motion picture camera which photographed the runner at the tape and the dial of the time indicator simultaneously.
In 1948, Bulova began developing the Phototimer, a unique combination of photo-finish camera and precision electronic timing instrument.
The Bulova device was activated by the sound of the starting gun firing, rather than by a direct connection, which means that the times were around 0.02 seconds faster than reality.
[9] The 1948 Olympics, however, continued to use Omega timing with a device called the 'Magic Eye', developed by British Race Finish Recording Co. Ltd.[10] The automatic times produced in the 1948 Olympics have never been released, but examination of the photos at the finish means that margins have been calculated to 1/100 second accuracy.
In 1952 the Omega Time Recorder was the first to use a quartz clock and print out results, earning the company a prestigious Cross of Merit from the Olympic Committee.
