For those who take their rackets game seriously, really seriously, Sony has released its $200 Smart Tennis Sensor.
The sensor, which affixes to the base of a tennis racket and collects data such as swing speed, number of swings, types of swings, ball speed, ball spin and ball impact spot.
Sony partnered with several big names in the tennis industry, including Wilson and Yonex, to ensure that the sensor fits securely onto rackets.
"The Sony Smart Tennis Sensor is very simple to set up and doesn't involve any distracting or uncomfortable equipment, so you can focus on what matters most in that moment - your match," says Sony's Marc DiPizzo, Sales and Marketing Europe. "After you have finished playing you can use the data and analysis to improve your technique for the next time."
Sony says it utilized its previous research and development in audio and sound analysis to develop the tennis sensor.
"Through highly sensitive wave and motion detection, the sensor can pick up multiple swing types such as topspin forehand, slice forehand, volley forehand, topspin backhand, slice backhand, volley backhand, smash, and even attack-style serves," says Sony.
On a full charge, the tennis sensor will last for up to three hours before a recharge is needed. Once the sensor has been recharged, the user simply removes the logo cap from the base of his or her racket and then attaches the tracker.
The tennis sensor pairs up with smartphones, tablets and even smart watches via Bluetooth. Sony has also released a companion app for the sensor, which aggregates and visualizes all of the tracker's data.
With the companion app, the sensor can track rallies and overlay recorded data over video captured by smartphones and tablets. So while the sensor charges at the end of matches, players can go back and review video of their sets with statistical insights on their play.
The Sony Smart Tennis Tracker is being offered through Sony and Wilson's online stores and through a select group of other retailers.
The tennis tracker has been approved by the International Tennis Federation for use in matches where coaching is allowed. When coaching isn't allow, the sensor may be used in "memory" mode only.
For those who'd like to throw biometrics into the mix of their smart tennis matches, Ralph Lauren debuted its Polo Tech smart shirt last summer 2014 US Open. Described as a "second skin," the smart shirt, developed by Omsignal, is suitable for collecting biometric during a variety of activities.
