If you've been wondering why you're just so bad at tennis, or hoping to improve on your already awesome game, Sony's new Smart Tennis Sensor might be just the gadget you've been looking for. The gadget, which will screw into the lower end of compatible "select tennis racket models by top manufacturers such as Wilson, Prince and Yonex" will log shot counts, impact location, swing and call speed, and even spin, all through some crazy advanced vibration mechanics analysis.
You'll pay for the privilege, though, as in addition to the special compatible racket you'll be forking over $200 for the sensor module itself. But for something that can determine not just where the ball hit but how you hit it, and then sync all of that over Bluetooth to your iPhone or Android phone, that might be worth the price of entry. Tennis isn't exactly a cheap sport to start.
Of course, there's also an app. Using that data the app will be able to give you real-time swing visualizations, heat mapping, stats, and shot metrics. And because it's 2014, there's social integration so you can #humblebrag to the world about how you rocked it on the court today.
The sensor itself is a little thing, weighing 8 grams (0.28oz) and measuring 31.3mm (1.23 inches) across, with enough memory to log up to 12,000 shots for when not connected to your phone. It's rated to IP65 waterproof and dustproof, and even has been certified by the International Tennis Federation for use during competition.
Though the sensor was first previewed back in January at CES 2014, it won't officially be available until January of 2015, and it'll cost you $200 to get your quantified swing on. But if you're serious about improving your game, this might be just the gadget you need. Any tennis players interested?
Source: Sony
