Two states.
Nothing in between.
FOCO replaces traditional fixed cup blinkers with PDLC smart film, the switchable glass technology used in modern office partitions. The film has two states only. It is clear by default, giving the horse full vision. When the jockey presses a button on a wrist unit, a single short range radio pulse switches the film to opaque and it works as a normal blinker.
Everything a scrutineer needs, at a glance.
Verified against the specification sheet. Every value is a fact of construction, not a performance claim.
An exploded view of the FOCO cup.
Six layers stack into a single instrument the size of a standard blinker. No exposed wiring, no detachable electronics.
One press. One pulse. One change of state.
The full activation chain, in the order it happens on the track.
The jockey presses the wrist unit once.
A single one way radio pulse travels 30 to 80 centimetres. No data, no pairing, no network.
PDLC film turns opaque in an instant. If anything fails, it stays clear. The horse always keeps standard gear.
Fixed Cups against FOCO.
A draggable field-of-view study. Fixed cups restrict vision from barrier to finish. FOCO is clear by default, opaque only when the race demands it.
Four modules. One system.
Every subsystem, documented against the specification sheet.
- Smart film built into the blinker cups
- Two states only: clear and opaque
- No dimming, no modulation
- Power draw near 0.02 watts
- One way, single pulse trigger
- Range of 30 to 80 centimetres
- No pairing, no network, no return signal
- Jockey to horse only
- Sealed 3.7 volt micro battery
- No heat, no exposed wiring
- No detachable electronics
- Every fault defaults to standard gear
- Stored on the jockey wrist unit only
- Records event, time, state and race ID
- No biometric or performance data
- Stewards can review after the race
Every technical fact.
- No data transmission from the horse
- No sensing, no telemetry, no feedback
- No performance enhancement
- No influence on stride or acceleration
- British Horseracing Authority (BHA)
- Racing Victoria and Racing Australia
- HISA (United States)
- Future: Hong Kong, Japan, France, Ireland