Case Study
Velosolutions
Sports / Recreation Technology
Smartphone-based transponder-free timing system for pump tracks with global leaderboards, serving 700+ tracks in 50 countries.
Velosolutions
Tech Partnership
Sports Technology
3 Months
Key Outcomes
Eliminated external timing hardware entirely — Vorld delivers precise lap timing using only
smartphone sensors and virtual invisible gates, requiring zero track-side infrastructure
Deployed across Velosolutions’ network of 700+ pump tracks in 50 countries, including UCI Pump Track World Championship venues
Created global leaderboards and challenge systems that transformed solitary pump track rides into a connected competitive community
The Challenge
Before partnering with Iottive, Velosolutions / Vorld was facing several issues:
Transponder Dependency
Traditional timing systems require physical transponders on riders and sensor loops embedded in the track surface. This hardware costs $5,000–$15,000 per installation, requires power and maintenance, and creates a barrier for the 700+ tracks Velosolutions operates globally.
6–8 Years of R&D Complexity
Accurate timing from smartphone sensors alone — without any external reference — demanded years
of algorithm development. Accelerometer noise, GPS drift, and varying phone hardware created
accuracy challenges that off-the-shelf solutions couldn’t solve.
Global Scale and Diversity
Velosolutions’ tracks span 50 countries with wildly different GPS accuracy, cellular coverage, and smartphone hardware capabilities. A timing system had to work reliably on a $150 Android phone in rural South Africa and a flagship iPhone in Zurich.
Multi-Sport and Accessibility
Pump tracks serve bikes, skateboards, scooters, inline skates, and wheelchairs. The timing system couldn’t rely on wheel sensors or sport-specific mounting — it had to work universally via the rider’s smartphone.
Our Solution
Iottive delivered a complete AIoT solution under a full-cycle product development model.
Bluetooth/IoT Expertise
While Vorld is primarily smartphone-sensor-based, Iottive integrated optional BLE beacon waypoints for tracks hosting UCI-sanctioned competitions where sub-100ms accuracy is required. These beacons supplement smartphone sensor data without replacing the zero-hardware core experience.
Design Thinking Approach
Designed for a user base ranging from 8-year-old scooter riders to professional UCI athletes. The app presents a single ‘Start Ride’ button — all sensor calibration, gate detection, and lap counting happens invisibly. Leaderboards and challenges provide motivation without requiring technical understanding.
Project Planning & Execution
Structured development around Velosolutions’ track construction schedule, ensuring new tracks launched with Vorld integration from day one. Coordinated with UCI for timing accuracy validation ahead of World Championship events.
Functionalities Delivered
Virtual invisible gate creation per track, smartphone-only lap timing and counting, global leaderboards with per-track rankings,challenges and head-to-head competitions, track finder with GPS-based discovery, ride history and personal progression tracking, and track owner analytics (usage patterns, peak times, rider demographics).
Implementation Highlights
Sensors & Hardware
Leverages smartphone accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, and GPS/GNSS receivers as primary sensors. Optional BLE beacons for competition-grade accuracy at select venues.
Edge & Connectivity
On-device sensor fusion processes all timing calculations locally, enabling lap timing in areas with no cellular coverage. Data syncs to cloud when connectivity is available.
Firmware & Performance Optimization
Proprietary sensor fusion algorithms calibrate in real-time to the specific smartphone hardware, compensating for accelerometer bias, gyroscope drift, and GPS multipath effects unique to each device model.
Data Analytics & Visualization
Cloud-based analytics aggregate riding data across 700+ tracks to identify usage patterns, peak hours, and rider demographics. Track owners access dashboards showing daily ride counts, average session duration, and returning rider rates.
Dashboard & UX
Rider-facing app with one-button ride start, real-time lap counter, post-ride summary, and leaderboard position. Track owner portal with usage analytics, event management tools, and Pump for Peace program integration.
Security & Compliance
Lap time validation algorithms detect GPS spoofing and sensor manipulation attempts to protect leaderboard integrity. Age-appropriate data collection for minor riders compliant with COPPA and GDPR-K.
Results & Impact
- Zero-hardware timing deployed across 700+ pump tracks in 50 countries without any per-track installation cost
- Adopted as the official timing platform for UCI Pump Track World Championship qualifying events
- Track usage analytics enabled Velosolutions to demonstrate ROI to municipalities considering pump track construction
- Pump for Peace tracks in underserved communities gained timing capability at zero incremental cost
- Global leaderboards increased average rides per visitor from 3 to 7, according to track owner analytics
“We build pump tracks in 50 countries — from Switzerland to Lesotho. Traditional timing systems cost more than some of our tracks. Iottive built timing that runs on any smartphone, with no hardware to install, power, or maintain. When UCI validated the accuracy for World
Championship qualifiers, it proved the technology works at every level — from a kid on a scooter to a pro on the world stage.”
— Julius Faubel, Velosolutions
Lessons & Best Practices
Eliminate Hardware Wherever Possible
Every piece of track-side hardware is a maintenance liability across 700+ global locations. The smartphone-only approach converted a $5,000+ per-track cost into a free app download.
Design for the Widest Device Range
Testing across 200+ smartphone models — from budget Android devices to flagship iPhones —exposed sensor accuracy variations that required per-model calibration profiles.
Leverage Community for Validation
Global leaderboards created a self-policing community where anomalous times (GPS spoofing, sensor manipulation) are flagged by other riders before moderators intervene.
Build Analytics for Decision Makers
Track owner dashboards showing ride counts and peak hours helped municipalities justify pump track investment — turning Vorld from a rider app into a business development tool for Velosolutions.
Technology
Comprehensive IoT Technology Stack
From devices and connectivity to cloud, apps, and security — we leverage a full-stack IoT ecosystem to build scalable, secure, and future-ready solutions.
BLE
iOS Swift
Android Kotlin
Why Iottive’s the Right Partner
- Sensor fusion expertise: Iottive has developed smartphone-sensor-based measurement systems that work reliably across hundreds of device models and environmental conditions
- Global deployment scale: experience launching IoT applications across 50+ countries with varying connectivity, device hardware, and regulatory requirements
- Sports technology domain: prior experience building real-time performance tracking for athletes, with accuracy validation against governing body standards
Next Steps for Velosolutions
Add computer vision lap timing using track-side smartphone cameras as an alternative validation source
Integrate with wearable devices (Apple Watch, Garmin) for heart rate and effort data alongside lap times
Build an event management platform for track operators hosting competitions with automated
bracket generation and live results
Develop AR features that overlay ideal racing lines on the smartphone camera view during
practice sessions