Designing and Manufacturing of a Hexagonal Device to Assess the Reaction Time of Sitting Volleyball Athletes

Sitting volleyball is one of the most popular Paralympic sports, which requires special movement and physical fitness factors according to the rules of the race. Reaction time is one of the most important physical fitness factors for players of sitting volleyball. Mostof the devices and tests used to evaluate this factor are common among healthy athletes. However, in para athlete sports such as sitting volley, there are limited devices for evaluation and conditioning them. The specialization of physical fitness tests and devices for para athletes in each sport has an important role in the evaluating, preparing and success of the teams. In sitting volleyball, it is very important for athletes to move their body at different directions to reach the ball and have a suitable reaction. So, the aim of this study was to design and manufacture a system which could evaluate the reaction time of sitting volley players at 6 different directions. The hexagonal reaction time measuring system is a device that measures the reaction time by using six sensors located on the floor and a lamp panel in front of the athlete. When the lamp of each sensor turns on, the athlete should touch it in the shortest time by pushing himself at the given direction. This time period is measured and displayed as the reaction time.