Communications of the ACM
Baseball Meets Internet of Things: Goodbye, Bad Umpires?
Blown calls by umpires could become a thing of the past, if researchers succeed in embedding sensors in baseball equipment and transmitters throughout stadiums.
Credit: Paul Sancya/Associated Press
Researchers at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) are using the concept of the Internet of things to enhance sporting events. For example, connected baseball equipment, in combination with sensors and transmitters located through a stadium, could deliver much more precise verdicts for frequently contested situations such as foul balls, stolen bases, and border-line pitches.
The researchers say the technology should be accurate to an extent that human observers, such as umpires, cannot equal. Sensors also could be used to improve techniques during training. For example, connected bats could measure anything from a player's posture to his swing speed to how firmly he grips the bat. When this information is combined with the corresponding big data algorithms, the measurements could pinpoint small imperfections in a player's form and lead to more effective training strategies. Similar approaches could be applied to better understand sports injuries, or to enhance the fan experience watching TV.
"Players are experiencing the plays and viewers are viewing them, but how could we provide a more real-world experience for the fans?" says IEEE senior member and University of Texas at Dallas professor Roozbeh Jafari.
From InformationWeek
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