Feasibility Study of an Internet of Things (IoT)-Based Relay Baton for Monitoring Relay Runner Performance

Abstract

This study aims to develop and determine the level of acceptance of the Internet of Things (IoT)-based Relay Baton as a tool for monitoring performance in relay running training. The study employs a Research and Development (R&D) approach, focusing on the user testing phase. The research subjects were relay runners who had mastered the basic baton-passing technique. Testing was conducted through a simulation of the device’s use, ranging from operating the baton and the handover process to monitoring results via a web-based dashboard. The research instrument consisted of a user response questionnaire using a five-point Likert scale covering three aspects: comfort and physical design, ease of use, and system benefits and feedback. The data were analysed descriptively using actual scores, maximum scores, averages, and achievement percentages. The results showed that the users’ acceptance rate of the device reached 90%, falling into the ‘very good’ category. The aspects of comfort and physical design scored 92 per cent, ease of use 88 per cent, and benefits and system feedback 90 per cent. Furthermore, the system was able to generate and display monitoring data, including baton possession duration, baton handover time, each runner’s speed, total race time, race status, and device status. These findings indicate that the IoT-based Relay Baton is convenient and easy to use, and is capable of providing more integrated performance data than conventional recording methods. As such, the device has the potential to serve as a technology-based monitoring tool that supports the evaluation of relay training and coaching based on sports science.