Tachyon is an open source, open hardware timing system for swimming. Accurate to the thousandth, built around the touchpads clubs already use, and designed for a club budget.
In most club pools, races are still decided by hand-held stopwatches. Clubs care about fair results, but a commercial installation is out of reach for most of them. We think precise timing should be infrastructure for every pool, not a privilege of a few.
Tachyon is a volunteer project. Every schematic, every line of firmware and every enclosure drawing will be published.
Each lane box timestamps its own touchpad against one central quartz, so every lane is judged by the same clock. Watch a final finish.
Watchmakers taught the world what precision looks like. We want club timing to feel the same: honest materials, exact numbers, nothing hidden.
Every lane measures on its own and keeps its own record. One central quartz keeps them all in step.
The heartbeat of the pool
A central STM32 with a precision quartz is the single time base for every lane. It buffers all results, runs from an integrated UPS and switches off non-essential loads such as the scoreboard when mains power drops.
One per lane, fully independent
Each lane box timestamps its own inputs and stores them locally. Potted in resin, it is waterproof by construction. Boxes chain along one cable, and the bus keeps running if one of them fails.
The first module we build
A hand unit with microphone and a START button ringed in red and green, plus a start unit with amplifier, compression-driver speakers and its own battery. It works on its own today and joins the system later.
From touch to results list
Reads results from the timing computer, applies finish judge notation and publishes results. Open interfaces let existing meet management tools connect as well.
Tachyon
Tachyon
TachyonTarget values for version 1. Expect them to change as prototypes meet real water.
How Tachyon differs from the systems clubs know today.
Based on Tachyon v1 design goals, not on tests of specific products.
We build in the open and in order. The start system comes first because it is useful on its own.
System architecture, bus topology, connector plan and power concept are defined.
Hand unit and start unit as a standalone product. Useful on its own, ready to connect to the timing computer later.
First lane box in KiCad: five independent inputs, CAN over M12, resin potting.
The central time base: precision quartz, two bus inputs, result buffer and integrated UPS.
Reading results from the timing computer, finish judge notation, exports and open interfaces.
A complete system at a real meet, running side by side with a reference system.
A documented, reproducible release of all hardware, firmware and software.
KiCad projects, firmware, enclosure drawings and the results software will live in public repositories under open source and open hardware licences.
Build it yourself, have the boards assembled by a PCB service, or improve it and send the change back. That is how timing gets better for everyone.
Tachyon is an open timing system for swimming. Here is what we are building, and how you can help.
Pool decks are wet, chlorinated and unforgiving. Instead of sealing the lane box, we fill it.
Before we time a single race, we are building the thing that starts it. It is useful on its own, and it forces us to get power, connectors and enclosures right.
We are looking for clubs willing to test, timekeepers who know what goes wrong on race day, and people who enjoy hardware, firmware and software. Leave your details and we will tell you when there is something to try.
That is the goal. Requirements differ between federations, and we will document what each version meets. Until then, Tachyon is aimed at club meets and training.
The lane box uses 4 mm banana inputs, the connector most pool touchpads and push buttons already use. We will publish a compatibility list as we test.
There is no price yet. The parts list is designed to stay within a club budget, and because everything is open you can source and assemble it yourself.
Yes. Testing at meets, writing documentation, translating and feedback from timekeepers are as valuable as engineering work.