Quadriplegic and Former Indy Driver Sam Schmidt Hits 106 MPH at Indy 500 Race Week Using OptiTrack Motion Capture

Former Indy Racing League driver and quadriplegic Sam Schmidt got behind the wheel several times during race week for the 2014 Indianapolis 500, which kicked off May 18, 2014.

Schmidt started off the week completing two warm-up and four qualifying laps on Pole Day in a modified 2014 C7 Corvette Stingray controlled by his head using OptiTrack motion capture technology.

Schmidt’s trip around the track maxed out at speeds of 80 miles per hour and marked his first laps on a professional raceway since a 2000 crash at Walt Disney World Speedway in Orlando left him paralyzed.

He also served as the ceremonial pace car for the Indy Lights Freedom 100 on Carb Day, and on Monday following the Indy 500, Schmidt went at it again, this time topping speeds of 106 miles per hour.

The Corvette, which was modified by a team from Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Arrow Electronics, and the Air Force Research Lab, was created as part of the SAM (Semi-Autonomous Motorcar) Project using mostly off-the-shelf commercial components.

Schmidt’s vehicle is outfitted with four infrared OptiTrack Flex 13 cameras mounted on the dashboard that enable precise tracking to ensure accurate and safe steering.

A baseball cap with eight pea-sized reflective markers allows Schmidt to control the Corvette with subtle head movements: forward and back to accelerate the car’s speed in increments of 10 miles per hour, and right and left to steer.

With a sensor in his mouth, Schmidt can slow down or stop by biting down.

Since his accident, Schmidt has regained neck strength and partial shoulder movement through intensive physical therapy.

Remaining active in the racing world, he is the co-owner of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, while his Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation seeks to conquer paralysis though scientific research, medical treatment and rehabilitation.

Category: General Update, People