OMP Racing and Marelli Launches VISM-The Motorsport Biometric Undershirt

Marelli and OMP Racing have announced the FIA homologation of VISM (Vital Signs Monitor), the first fire-retardant racing undershirt with an integrated system for vital parameters measurement. The undershirt is equipped with Sensitex, textile sensors, and a measurement unit, which records and transmits the data.

VISM allows real-time monitoring of the driver’s state of health through the elaboration of ECG (electrocardiogram) and thoracic expansion, both acquired by the sensors. The simultaneous analysis of heart rhythm and breath rate allows the driver performance index to be monitored in real-time, and so immediately identify possible states of stress, fatigue and alteration.

The VISM biometric undershirt has three principal areas of application: performance monitoring, data collection for training, and safety features thanks to the constant monitoring of vital parameters, in all the different situations encountered during racing.

The VISM system is the result of a close and extensive collaboration between Marelli and OMP Racing, two world-class Italian motorsport companies.

OMP led the project, bringing its experience of safety systems, homologation test procedures and garment manufacture, while Marelli contributed its know-how in motorsport electronics, data acquisition, and telemetry. One of the important challenges centered on the management of sensitive biometric data which requires careful and reliable data processing to ensure confidentiality and privacy: the technical solution which provides this guarantee comes from the deep understanding of the motorsport ecosystem by two historic players like OMP and Marelli.

“Two Italian excellencies working together to project the world of Motorsport into the future: this is what makes us peculiarly proud of the VISM development”, stated OMP Racing CEO Paolo Delprato. “The cooperation with Marelli is that kind of teamwork that makes you bless the moment you decided to pick up the phone and propose the project. It’s mutual enrichment and it has produced a great device, which conjugates safety and performance.”

“Sharing passion for Motorsport and Innovation. Two fundamental ingredients of the collaboration between Marelli and OMP, leading to the creation of VISM” said Riccardo De Filippi, Senior VicePresident and CEO of Marelli Motorsport. “VISM is a tool for professional drivers to monitor biometric data, it is designed with a direct interface to the data acquisition and telemetry systems of a race car and includes end-to-end protection of sensitive data, giving the user full control of its use. We believe this experience is a major step forward in the development of safety systems as well as active driver aids, for passenger cars too.”