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Fully automatic time

A fully automatic timing camera system, on the finish line of the 2007 Pan American Games at João Havelange Olympic Stadium
An Omega FAT device of 1948, containing four chronometers started by a starting gun and stopped by a photocell.
Light beam timing system (the two lenses extended to the right of the stand)

Fully automatic time (abbreviated FAT) is a form of race timing in which the clock is automatically activated by the starting device, and the finish time is either automatically recorded, or timed by analysis of a photo finish. The system is commonly used in track and field as well as athletic performance testing, horse racing, dog racing, bicycle racing, rowing and auto racing. In these fields a photo finish is used. It is also used in competitive swimming, for which the swimmers themselves record a finish time by touching a touchpad at the end of a race. In order to verify the equipment, or in case of failure, a backup system (typically manual) is usually used in addition to FAT.[1]

  1. ^ For example the USA Swimming Guide to Officiating Archived 2009-02-25 at the Wayback Machine requires that "[...] (because of the potential for failure) and always to verify proper operation, all times from electronic timing equipment (whether touchpads or buttons) must both be verified and backed-up by another timing system. The backup must always include at least one stopwatch."

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