Performance technology evaluation of commercially available hermetically sealed inertial measurement units for angular velocity

High-speed video analysis has been used to measure certain kinematic metrics during a competitive diver’s performance. However, it is time-consuming and limited in accuracy. An inertial measurement unit (IMU) may substitute video analysis. However, IMUs must be evaluated before implementation. This study assessed the validity and reliability of four waterproof IMUs to a 3D motion capture system. IMUs and retro-reflective markers were attached to a prism and rotated about three different axes. Validity and reliability were assessed with RMSE, BA plot, and ICC. The IMUs demonstrated good to acceptable accuracy and measured true angular velocity within 0.44%. Inter-device reliability was excellent. These findings are consistent with other studies assessing their IMU and concluding it to be a valid measurement system. Taken together, the IMU devices assessed in this study are valid and reliable for measuring angular velocity. Project completion will have examined in-vivo diving performances.