KPNP has developed a ‘PSS SYSTEM TESTER’ that precisely inspects PSS at the stadium. This product is equipped with the function to check all of the strength measurement capability, proximity sensor response, and wireless communication status of the PSS.
The tester is designed to check the PSS that players will wear in every match at the venue. It was already applied as a test at the ‘2021 National Taekwondo Championships’ held for the first time this year in Korea, where good reviews were got from all the participants involved.
The procedure is mainly divided into two steps: The first step is an inspection in which a hammer strikes the front and side of the PSS with the same strength to check the value error of the strength sensor. And then, the inspection is completed after the step of determining the appropriateness of the proximity sensor response and wireless communication status.
In competitions where the tester is applied, both the PSS and the electronic headgear must pass this inspection before the athlete can wear it and climb the court. If this new product is introduced to major domestic and international competitions in earnest, many problems of the existing competitions would be solved.
First of all, the pathogen infection would be eradicated and the hygienic part will be improved thanks to this inspection equipment.
Currently, all PSS products used in competitions are those provided by the Organizing Committee. This contributes to the policy of fairness over the hygienic issues. However, if on-site verification becomes possible, specifically this new tester, an athlete can participate with the team’s own PSS. If this is managed directly by the team, the equipment is inevitably more hygienic and safer from infections.
In addition, even if COVID 19 comes to an end, the inspection equipment will serve as a minimum safety device for sparring players who are susceptible to get any viral infection in the future.
Distrust of the consistency of the sensitivity of the PSS and the presence or absence of failure, which was prevalent in the past, is also expected to disappear drastically. This is because contestants would be able to verify their opponents’ and their own PSS, and visually confirm that they participate under the same conditions before each match on the spot.
It is also possible to skip the test process that was conducted for each match inside the court. The match time was shortened by omitting the on-court test in the tournament in Korea where it was applied for the first time.
Members of the technical committee of the Korea Taekwondo Association, who watched the tester, generally expressed their opinions such as ‘it is a good product’ and’ it is convenient to operate the match by omitting the court test.’ After this competition, it is expected to decide how to use the tester in the future through internal meetings.
The well-known brand KPNP plans to complete a product that compensates for the shortcomings found this time, such as safety and portability of the inspection equipment, and put it into the market as soon as possible.
KPNP explained the production background and future plans, saying “The main purpose is to allow competitors to participate in a fairer environment. Of course, it is a product that already began to be developed before the spread of COVID-19. However, it is expected to be effective in hygiene and infection prevention in the future. The first version has been released, and we are already making products that reflect the voices from the field and its improvements.”
