presure sensor

[Zedy]

Good day!
Does anyone know what kind of sensors are used to detect drivers in Red Bull velo minidrome? (You can see them in this video )
Perhaps someone knows any similar sensor solutions. I'm creating time control systems for copy of the Red Bull mini velodrome, but have a major problem with the sensors. The ones I use are improvised and works well, but wore out very quickly. So I would like to know if there is something commercially available.

[SeanB]

Are the sensors the white stripes across the lane? You might look at getting either a thin flat tube and using a fast pressure sensor to detect the wheel contact with a sealed tube, or use a piezoelectric cable, which generates a voltage into a high impedance input proportional to the mass of the wheel. If it is meant to be integrated into the surface then a flexible tube embedded in the top layers, compatible with whatever resin you are using, will give a pressure pulse as the track deforms. A small pulse, but measurable and reasonably accurate time wise.

Otherwise a linear sensor on the central pole and a light source outside the track can be used ( with IR emitters and an appropriate IR filter on the sensor) as a simple sensor, though it will be sensitive to disturbance.