Overview
Been sharpening up your swing in anticipation of the Australian Open? Wondering how your skills might stack up in a match against Rafael Nadal or Li Na? The world's first 'connected' tennis racquet is at your service.
Unveiled this week at the international CES, held January 7-10, in Las Vegas, the product is the brainchild of tennis equipment company Babolat. It's built according to the dimensions of a regular racquet, but with a difference. Sensors located in the handle measure pretty much every detail of your performance, including power, impact, spin, forehand, backhand, overhead smash and serves. An interface called 'The Pulse' collates and analyses the data, scoring your game in terms of power, endurance and technique.
Some of the world's biggest tennis names have put their support behind it. Nadal thinks it's "great because you have the chance to know much more about your tennis, much more about the way you are hitting the ball, the way that you want to improve ... you can have fun with that." Na says, "You get a much deeper understanding of your game."
An app allows the user to record statistics, thereby keeping track of when and how their performance is improving. There's also a limitless online community, where information can be shared and compared with others. The Babolat Play retails for US$399.
Via PSFK.