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Making the most of a second viewing
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VICTOR FRAILE/CORBIS
TECHNOLOGY
Sensors help you serve an ace A TENNIS player’s first serve can make or break their title chances, but identifying the nuances in arm, shoulder and wrist motion that make the difference between an ace and a fault is tricky. Wearable motion sensors could help. While it is possible to analyse high-speed video of a player’s serve, this is expensive and labour intensive. So Amin Ahmadi and colleagues at Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia, have developed a cheap, wearable system that gives instant feedback on a court-side laptop. Three matchbox-sized gyroscopic sensors are taped to the chest, upper arm and hand of the tennis player, which measure shoulder rotation, arm angular velocity and wrist bending respectively – the things that govern serve success. The team tested the system on four
players, including one pro. The gyro information from all the players was compiled and then analysed by computer software to identify the components of a successful serve (Sports Technology, DOI: 10.1002/ jst.112). “Our software then suggests how players can improve their
“The software analyses a tennis player’s serve and suggests how it can be improved” skills,” Ahmadi told New Scientist. The device needs to be tested with a lot more players to prove its worth, says Steve Haake, a sports scientist at the University of Sheffield in the UK. “But with sensors getting smaller it is feasible that we will one day wear a piece of wireless technology that tells us how to play better.”
–Does he need a helping hand?–
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Making the most of a second look
Tool to test tsunami power
7700 solar panels, featuring seven emerging technologies, will be trialled over the next three years by oil company Chevron
“The chilli grenade has been found fit for use” The Indian military intends to develop a tear-gas-like weapon based on the bhut jolokia pepper – the world’s spiciest chilli – following successful tests, says Colonel R. Kalia, a defence spokesman for the north-eastern state of Assam (Associated Press, 23 March)
3 April 2010 | NewScientist | 15
VICTOR FRAILE/CORBIS
TECHNOLOGY
Sensors help you serve an ace A TENNIS player’s first serve can make or break their title chances, but identifying the nuances in arm, shoulder and wrist motion that make the difference between an ace and a fault is tricky. Wearable motion sensors could help. While it is possible to analyse high-speed video of a player’s serve, this is expensive and labour intensive. So Amin Ahmadi and colleagues at Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia, have developed a cheap, wearable system that gives instant feedback on a court-side laptop. Three matchbox-sized gyroscopic sensors are taped to the chest, upper arm and hand of the tennis player, which measure shoulder rotation, arm angular velocity and wrist bending respectively – the things that govern serve success. The team tested the system on four
players, including one pro. The gyro information from all the players was compiled and then analysed by computer software to identify the components of a successful serve (Sports Technology, DOI: 10.1002/ jst.112). “Our software then suggests how players can improve their
“The software analyses a tennis player’s serve and suggests how it can be improved” skills,” Ahmadi told New Scientist. The device needs to be tested with a lot more players to prove its worth, says Steve Haake, a sports scientist at the University of Sheffield in the UK. “But with sensors getting smaller it is feasible that we will one day wear a piece of wireless technology that tells us how to play better.”
–Does he need a helping hand?–
>QLLIqe^qfpqebcfopqqlpfjri^qb ^m^oqf`ri^oqvmblcqprk^jf`lria fjmolsblrorkabopq^kafkdlc qebabs^pq^qfkdt^sbp+ Tfqeqebebimlcmfpqlk*_^pba pfjri^qlop)obpb^o`ebope^a_bbk ^_ibqlob`ob^qbpl*`^iiba`obpq*iba t^sbp)tebobqebt^sbmb^hefqp qebpelobtfqeklt^okfkd+?rq rkqfikltqebve^a_bbkrk^_ib qlpfjri^qb^qolrde*ibat^sb tebobt^qboao^fkpcoljqeb _b^`ebpcfopq)pr`e^pqeblkb qe^qefqQe^fi^kafk/--1+ Qfwf^k^Olppbqql)^dblildf`^i bkdfkbbo^qRkfsbopfqv@liibdb Ilkalk)^ka`liib^drbp)e^sb absfpba^t^qboq^khqe^q`^k pfjri^qbqolrde*ibat^sbp+Qeb mkbrj^qf`pvpqbjalbppl_v nrf`hivpr`hfkdrmt^qboqlcloj ^t^qbovqolrdeqe^qjlsbp^ilkd qebt^sbq^kh+Qebqb^j^fjpql rpbqebpfjri^qloqlpqravqeb abpqor`qfsbmltbolcpr`et^sbp+
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Making the most of a second look
Tool to test tsunami power
7700 solar panels, featuring seven emerging technologies, will be trialled over the next three years by oil company Chevron
“The chilli grenade has been found fit for use” The Indian military intends to develop a tear-gas-like weapon based on the bhut jolokia pepper – the world’s spiciest chilli – following successful tests, says Colonel R. Kalia, a defence spokesman for the north-eastern state of Assam (Associated Press, 23 March)
3 April 2010 | NewScientist | 15