Yes, all good ideas. I am going to have some sort of training program and cloud based data storage, eventually. Probably for a Pro version of the app. I envision pictures of table layouts and shot history with stats, etc. Other companies have already built things like this but not with any hardware, so I'll probably try to link up with them. Pricing and SoS are future thoughts.No. The DigiBall has no idea what your stroke is doing, or exactly where you are aiming. All it knows is where and how hard on itself it was struck (based on its initial movement), and its own velocity, path, and spin measured over time until it comes to rest. It can probably make a close estimation of cue speed, vector, and intended aim, but from the ball’s perspective, applying sidespin with parallel, BHE, or a swoop stroke are indistinguishable.
If you want cue/stroke data, you need something measuring the cue itself, like the DigiCue Blue released several years ago.
It would be interesting to sync-up ball and cue data with the two products. I’m sure Nathan has considered that. Doing so would provide some interesting data points, such as golf’s Smash Factor (ball speed divided by clubhead speed). A Smash Factor in pool would tell you how efficiently a cue and stroke delivers energy to the cue ball.
There are going to be some really cool/fun metrics coming from the DigiBall itself. I look forward to measuring initial spin rate, and spin rate divided by initial velocity. Those numbers will tell you exactly how efficiently you can put maximum spin on the cue ball. Knowing some pro benchmarks from the likes of Florian or Shaw and trying to match those numbers will be a neat challenge. We’ll also be able to easily test cue/tip/chalk/stroke combinations to discover what works best for us. @dr_dave will have a field day.
Side notes for @nataddrho:
1. A cool feature would be a “straight shot practice” mode, in which you would set up straight shots on an object ball, and the DigiBall would report the “% Full” you hit the object ball and any post-collision cueball movement and spin. Getting an aggregate report showing dispersion patterns and left/right direction and spin tendencies over each practice session and over time would be invaluable to improving one’s accuracy. Also useful to measure and report would be the actual deflection and swerve on these shots, since in such a mode it can infer your intended aim. Side-side note: by offering a paired “DigiBall Object Ball” you could report data on makes/misses.
2. It’s common in the golf world for training tools like this to have separate pricing for individual and instructor licenses. Instructor licenses typically allow multiple student logins/sessions so each student can review their own data, and give the instructor an easy way to email a session report to the student with custom branding and notes.
What I have now is an MVP. I can not allow myself to start adding features I think are neat until I get a lot of testing reviews.
All shot data will be free to export and to do with what you want. The firmware will be closed, but the API can be exposed to the public.
Battery charge cycles are similar to any consumer LIPO battery.
Approximate price range $100 to $200, based entirely on logistics and parts.
BasementDweller please see the patent to explain your question. It just takes the angle between the axis of rotation in reference to static gravity vector, and rotates it accordingly, and then couples in linear speed if given.
The device is essentially a very accurate spin detector. You can use a simple linear equation of spin, linear speed and ball diameter to calculate precise tip position. The DigiBall never has any idea where on the table it is or which direction it is traveling, so it can not detect object ball impact points. It can detect collision events over time, however, as to when it has hit something. It is practically impossible to integrate spin and acceleration to achieve speed via dead reckoning because of noise and the extremely large Gs during a hit.
Yes, it can measure cloth rolling resistance and slip friction.
It has no idea what your stroke is doing, only where you hit the ball.
Spider, No, just like the DigiCue, the DigiBall can not tell you anything about why you are doing what you are doing. That is for you to figure out on your own. Just like how a measuring tape will not tell why a 2x4 is too short, but it still makes measuring the length of the board a lot more quantifiable than by eye. If you are looking for a product that provides you the exact correction you need to improve your game, you will need an instructor. Preferably an instructor with a DigiBall.
