Wednesday, February 28, 2013

By Adario Strange

Sports science is yet another beneficiary of the all the small, affordable tech developed in recent years in concert with smartphones and tablets. A new product takes mobile sensors and embeds them directly into a basketball, allowing the user to record their performance with a level of detail never before possible.

The 94Fifty Sensor Basketball has an integrated "intertial motion sensor array" giving the user data on shooting arc, dribbling force, and shot speed, among all kinds of other metrics. The data is then wirelessly transmitted to a smartphone app (Android or IOS) via Bluetooth. Included in the app are lots of statistics, skills challenges to help improve your individual ability, and even options that allow you to compete against friends. Equipped with a 90-foot range so you don't have to keep the smartphone near your body while practicing on the basketball court, the ball also comes with a wireless charging pad that gives it roughly eight hours of battery life. 

The Sensor Basketball will retail for $295 after a March launch on Kickstarter. You can see an early version of the ball demonstrated by the talented Skylar Diggins (from Notre Dame) in the video below.