On the ball in sports with electronics sensor and wireless charging technology

Editor's note: I'm a sports lover and I like the Brooklyn Nets (Growing up in Brooklyn), plus I love the strategy of the game as well as the coaching and training aspects of the sport. The following is the start of a technology combination that can revolutionize sports and training. I spoke to Mark Davisson, President of 94Fifty and to Kevin King, Dir. of Advanced Technology of the company and they gave me a great overview of this product.

The design was pretty challenging, but TI along with the 94Fifty engineers managed to keep the size and weight down on the electronics inside the ball which greatly helps dampen the vibration that a dribbled, bouncing and backboard-slamming ball encounters countless times throughout a game or practice. It also helps that the rubber of the ball has a natural ability to absorb energy.

Soccer is the next obvious target in another fast-moving sport with a round ball. Stay tuned for that effort to emerge.

Take a look at this innovative and creative design and we welcome your comments at the end of the article.

InfoMotion Sports Technologies (IST) revealed its 94Fifty sensor basketball that utilizes technology from Texas Instruments to become the first and most advanced digital sport product to measure a player’s skills in real time. The basketball breaks down all aspects of a player’s game and delivers the data to a robust mobile app that allows users or others to interact with their skills.

The 94Fifty basketball uses InfoMotion’s Point of Force measurement technologies that leverages TI’s Bluetooth/Bluetooth low energy dual-mode connectivity solutions, a digital signal processor (DSP) to perform advanced analytics and Qi-compliant wireless power technology to enable the ball to be recharged without plugs or wires.  Check out the ball in action in this video here.

TI’s Bluetooth/BLE solutions

The design will have a precision sensor interface, a highly integrated Bluetooth® low energy radio and a ultra-low-power DSP that combine to extend battery life and increase system reliability in a small form-factor.

The Bluetooth/BLE circuit and sensor will look something like this inside the ball

The battery that powers this circuit inside the ball will be charged with the Qi wireless power system (See below)

 

TI’s Qi wireless power solution