Electronic targets: how do they work?

[Jay Kominek]

http://www.swissrifles.com/shooting/ shows an electronic target monitoring thingy, which is able to determine where on the target a bullet strikes.

Does anyone know how that works, from an electronics/sensors standpoint?

(My best guess is a steel plate with vibration sensors mounted on the back side which triangulate where the impact was, but I'd like to know for sure.)

 

[spacemanspiff]

the current issue of S.W.A.T. has a review of an electronic target you hook up to your computer.

 

[Justin]

The ones used for air pistol at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado work by using four microphones, one in each corner. Basically the microphones pick up the sound of the pellet passing through a hole and triangulate where the pellet "hit" the target.

 

[M67]

All the different types I have seen or heard of use microphones that record the sound of the passing bullet. Impact is then triangulated based on the time it takes the sound to reach the different microphones, usually three or four. There are also microphones at the firing line recording the sound of the shot itself, so that the computer can keep count of how many shots are fired by each shooter, so that any misses or shots fired at the wrong target can be correctly recorded.

Current systems are of course hooked up to a computer network, the results can be transferred to match coordinators, spectator screens, TV etc. The Norwegian national match (high power rifle) for example, is broadcast live on national TV, the finals anyway.

Well, I've never been on TV, or anywhere close, but it's still really cool to have a bad day on the firing line, and your shooting buddies are standing behind you wathcing your score live on a big screen. Or not.

If you're interested there's some information here, the first one I could find with decent information in English:

http://www.megalink.no/SW/Eng/Main.htm

 

[P95Carry]

I haven't looked into this bit did wonder some time back if it could be done by video methods.

If the starting image (blank target) is stored and then a scan is triggered by a strike .. then an image comparator could detect a new hole .. compared with last image. That could be relayed as a direct vid signal, or used to update a diagramatic representation.

Straight real-time video tho sounds relatively easy .. solid mount camera, long lens etc. Radio or cable link to monitors.

 

[spacemanspiff]

i suppose i could have given more info in my earlier post......

S.W.A.T. reviewed a device that mounts to your weapon and the vibrations from the striker/hammer/firing pin being released by your trigger pull activate a laser in your bore. you shoot at a target that reads where the laser beam hits and transfers the data to your computer via USB. you can see on the monitor where your hits are.

 

[whitebear]

I have no experience with the electronic scoring systems.

However, electronic practice systems were mentioned (not to derail the thread) and I have researched those. The ones I am aware of are the RIKA ( http://www.rika1.com/default.asp?Language=E ), SCATT ( http://www.scatt.com/english/default.asp ), NOPTEL ( http://www.noptel.fi/nop_eng/shooter.html ) and BeamHit ( http://www.beamhit.com/consumer/index.htm ) systems.

The RIKA, SCATT and Noptel are a level above the Beamhit both in price and functionality, with the first three costing over $1000 each, but capturing and providing considerably more information than the $450 or less (depending on model) BeamHit system.

Check out the web pages - the first three systems have features you probably never dreamed of!