Inflatable boxing pads with air pressure sensor system for measuring kick force in Muay Thai

Abstract

Abstract This study focuses on the development of inflatable boxing pads that measure kick force in Muay Thai through an air pressure sensor system integrated with an Arduino board and LabVIEW program. The objective is to calibrate and test the device with Thai boxers and assess its potential as a training tool with online trainers. In this research, we designed an experimental device and wrote a program to establish communication between the computer and the Arduino board via LabVIEW. For the inflatable boxing pads, we used an MPX10DP air pressure sensor to measure kick force. The sensor was integrated into the pads to accurately measure the force of each kick. Subsequently, the inflatable boxing pads were calibrated by applying different weights (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 kg, respectively) on the sensor. We recorded the output voltage corresponding to each weight and found potential differences ranging from 2.500 V to 2.524 V. These values were used to create a calibration curve for the device, which was used to convert voltage output to force measurements. Overall, this methodology allowed us to accurately measure the force of each kick on the inflatable boxing pads, making them a useful tool for Muay Thai training. The study also measured the kicking power of male and female athletes, with light, mid-level, and heavy kicking power ranges of 196.2-392.4 N, 441-637.65 N, and 784.8-1030.05 N, respectively. The inflatable boxing pads show potential as a useful tool in Muay Thai training, especially with the increasing demand for online training.