Who put lights on curling stones?

Answer 1

It is a display of the state of sensors in the ice and stone. If the stone has not been released by the time it reaches the hog line, the light will turn red and the stone must be removed from play.

Answer 2

When you deliver a rock in curling, you must release it before the "hog line" (the very thick line running across the ice). In major competitions, officials now install special electronic touch-sensitive handles on the rocks. If you release the rock before the hog line, a green light comes on. If you don't release before the hog line (thus "burning" the stone, which means you must immediately remove it from pay) red lights flash.

This is a more efficient and exact method than placing an official right on the line to judge whether players release rocks in time.

Answer 3

The lights are used to indicate hog line violations.

The "hog line" is the thick line running across the sheet 15 feet out from the house. The rock must be released from the shooter's hand before the rock reaches the hog line. If the rock is not released in time, it's called a "hog line violation" or "hogged rock," and the rock must be removed from play immediately, with no do-over of the shot.

It used to be that an official would sit at the hog line and watch for violations, but that was subject to human error. Now, at major national and international competitions, electronic touch-sensitive handles are used instead. Green lights illuminate if the rock is released before the hog line. Red lights flash if the rock is not released in time.

Answer 4

The lights on the stone are used to monitor for hog line violations.

The shooter must release the stone before the stone touches the near hog line (the thick red line running across the sheet 15 feet from the house).

It used to be that an official would have to sit at the hog line and watch for violations, but that was subject to human error. Now, electronic touch-sensitive handles are installed on the stones in all major competitions. The handle is activated when the shooter tips the stone over to clean it, then it monitors whether it is released before the hog line. If the stone is released before the line, then green lights illuminate. If the stone is not released in time, then red lights flash, and the rock must be removed from play immediately.

Answer 5

The lights are built into the special touch-sensitive handles that are used for major national and international competitions. I would guess that the handles are borrowed by the Olympic Committee from the World Curling Federation.

Answer 6

The lights are used to indicate hog line violations.

The "hog line" is the thick line running across the sheet 15 feet out from the house. The rock must be released from the shooter's hand before the rock reaches the hog line. If the rock is not released in time, it's called a "hog line violation" or "hogged rock," and the rock must be removed from play immediately, with no do-over of the shot.

It used to be that an official would sit at the hog line and watch for violations, but that was subject to human error. Now, at major national and international competitions, electronic touch-sensitive handles are used instead. Green lights illuminate if the rock is released before the hog line. Red lights flash if the rock is not released in time.