the big idea...
Add a micro controller (aka MEMS) to a tennis racquet in order to facilitate the analisys of your tennis swing and improve it (Babolat Play & Connect TM)
Sport potential application
MEMS is opening a new era of unlimited potentials for many sports ! MEMS are 9 axis sensors (3D accelerometer + 3D gyroscop + 3D Magnetoscop).
Example : Golf stick with connection to your smartphone via bluetooth for direct swing analysis and optimisation
Kyte surf or windsurf (or any kind of difficult to start sport) if you add a wind analyser could be a quite cool stuff to help you improve your skill
Next steps
Tennis needs a direct analysis after a shot. How do you know if you did right or not? after a 10 minutes practice the added value looks weak...
Tennis is not only about hitting a ball... it is also tactic, positionning, and game "flair"... What about merging 3 of this micro controllers in a same game (2 racquets and 1 ball)? Think about that kind of application in a professional match ! (check Roland Garros games... isn't it difficult to follow the little yellow ball on a red background???
What is a MEMS and how does it works ?
(MicroElectroMechanical Systems) Tiny mechanical devices that are built onto semiconductor chips and are measured in micrometers. In the research labs since the 1980s, MEMS devices began to materialize as commercial products in the mid-1990s. They are used to make pressure, temperature, chemical and vibration sensors, light reflectors and switches as well as accelerometers for airbags, vehicle control, pacemakers, games and now sport.
They became very popular thanks to the explosion of smartphones (this is how your favorite smartphone is switching from horizontal to vertical screen!
Babolat's play and connect (TM) opens a new era to sport practice :
- Get informed
This French SMB specialized in tennis racquet (and official sponsor of Rafael Nadal) is the "first shooter" in sport market implementation of these very little and very clever sensors in order to inform you in the way you shoot the tennis ball. was the ball correctly positionned when contacted by the racquet? did you have the correct gesture? how powerful was your shot? what was your racquet speed when you served?
- Progress
This doesn't have lots of value if you cannot analyze the output information... with this system, you can measure on any kind of mobile device (smartphone, tablet) or laptop all the informations from your connected racquet.
Babolat is also thinking about creating a kind of coach to help you improve your game.
- Share
Of course, if you want to create the buzz, you have to open your system on social networks with again lots of opportunities to have great fun (for example you could organise a contest based on the fastest service speed!)
But, if we keep focusing on MEMS potential on tennis game, there are so many more to do !
Some examples ?
Analyse and improve your tennis tactic
Let stepback and watch the big picture of a tennis game... You have 2 (or 4) players (ie racquets) and 1 ball in game. If you add MEMS to each of these, you could analyse the position of each player and the service stats... some good information to learn about your competitor game habits... and a great advantage for your next match against the same player!
(Really) Enjoy watching tennis match at TV without retina scratch
Not everybody has a 55' LCD TV... and I am sure that you already "lost" the ball during a match between Djoko and Nadal.
MEMS in the ball could help us by "printing the ball trajectory" just like the laser puck in ice hockey.
Electronic referee
Doesn't it sound like Middle age to have 9 referees for a profesional match? And what about amators matches whiches are oftenly played and judged by amators players???
Why should you, amators' tennis players, get bother with judgement and don't get focus on your game whatever is your level?
You got me? YES there is something to doing with referee and MEMS technologies. not tottaly clear in my head yet ut sure if you have an idea, feel free to share it by commenting
Have a nice and sport day! (and GO NOLE!!!!)
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