Ripxx Brings New Technology To TGR’s 2010 Feature Film

Personal Measurement Device tracks athletes’ movements on the slopes.

Jackson Hole, WY., Jan. 27, 2010 – Teton Gravity Research is known for pushing the edge of the envelope when it comes to documenting the amazing performances of the top freeride skiers and snowboarders featured in their films. This year, fans can get even closer to the action as the featured athletes will be wearing the Ripxx Personal Measurement Device during much of the shooting.

Ripxx is a small device about the size of a cell phone. It contains a suite of sensors, including a GPS tracking chip, three accelerometers and three gyroscopes. The athlete wears the device during a run and it records virtually every move he makes, keeping track of location, orientation, acceleration, velocity, altitude, air time, number of jumps, turns, spins and rolls.

“We’re exciting about using Ripxx in our production,” said Steve Jones with Teton Gravity Research. “The feedback you get from the device is incredible.”

Once data is collected from the athletes, the custom software can interpret it and replay individual runs, allowing the user to know exactly how fast, how far, how high he was at any point. Users can even view a 3D representation of the run from nearly any angle.

Ripxx

“Using the Ripxx device with our athletes lets us know precisely what was going on during the run,” said Steve Jones. “We can tell where each skier accelerated, where they took air and how far they went. We can track their tricks and compare different runs. It’s like living in a video game.”

Multiple athletes will wear the Ripxx PMD during the filming of TGR’s 2010 feature film. The production crew can then superimpose the data on the screen so viewers can get a clearer idea of the skier’s altitude, velocity, vertical drop and the forces applied to the athletes as they make their runs.

“We developed the Ripxx so serious skiers and snowboarders could improve their performances,” said Dr. Kurt Nichol, lead scientist and president of Ripxx, Inc. “While not everyone can have a film crew and helicopter follow them around and document their runs in high definition video, anyone can strap on a Ripxx and record, save and share their runs with friends.”

Nichol worked with athletes from the US winter sports teams to develop a commercial version of the Ripxx technology.

“We tested the Ripxx under these extreme conditions before turning it over to Teton and their group of amazing athletes,” said Nichol. “We think the fans are going to get really excited when they see what the Ripxx can do.”

For more information about Ripxx, visit www.ripxx.com.

Teton Gravity Research is one of the fastest growing brands in the action sports industry. Founded in 1996, TGR has produced 18 award winning feature length films, numerous television series for Showtime, NBC, Fox Sports, and Fuel TV, and is known for its cutting edge media and lifestyles clothing line. TGR films showcase the world’s top snowboard, ski and surf athletes including Jeremy Jones, Ian Walsh, Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, and Seth Morrison. TGR is a proud member of 1 Percent for the Planet and strongly believes in protecting the environment in which the team works and plays. TGR’s online presence, TetonGravity.com, is one of the leading online destinations in the action sports industry.