The SPRINT Research Centre at ACU validated the accuracy of the Slinger app’s AI with its VICON system, the gold standard for motion capture testing and accuracy
BALTIMORE, March 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Slinger® (OTCQB: SLBG), a leading connected sports technology company, announced a successful test of its tennis app conducted at the SPRINT Research Centre at Australian Catholic University (ACU). The ACU’s industry-renowned research team compared the accuracy of the proprietary AI developed by Slinger to its VICON system, known as the benchmark standard for motion capture and tracking. With this important next step now complete, Slinger is now set for beta release of the app.
The validation study was conducted by Dr. Grant Duthie and Dr. Raul Landeo from the Sports Performance, Recovery, Injury and New Technologies (SPRINT) Research Centre and the university’s School of Behavioural and Health Sciences. Dr. Duthie, a senior lecturer, is an expert in player-worn microtechnology who has also worked with FIFA, the Australian Rugby Union, and Japan Rugby Union. “Slinger wanted to know if it could accurately track landmarks on the body as they move through a defined space,” he said. “It gets a big tick from me. The AI technology displayed excellent agreement in the tracking of body landmarks. The overall correlation of r = 0.93 across all landmarks for tracking XY position in space quantifies how well this AI worked in comparison to VICON.”
VICON’s 3D motion analysis is used by the SPRINT research group for biomechanical analysis across a range of projects and tracks body joint positions with a high level of accuracy (within millimeters). The research team at ACU had previous experience working with Slinger’s portfolio company GAMEFACE.AI, who built the app’s AI infrastructure.
“The type of AI in our app has never been developed for the tennis market before, and we have gone to great lengths to ensure its accuracy and validity,” said Slinger CEO Mike Ballardie. “Users will get an experience similar to the top apps in health and fitness in terms of customization and personalization. Now that we have proven our technology in this capacity, we will work with our community to ensure the insights delivered are appropriate for all players. The ability to generate accurate insights from a smartphone was one of the drivers behind our GAMEFACE.AI acquisition, and it is rewarding to see that validated.”
Over 3000 tennis enthusiasts registered as official Slinger beta testers last year, and a select number of them will soon get access to the app for initial testing. In addition to curated coaching content and drills specific to the Slinger Bag, the app will capture video and data and turn it into personalized insights, measuring key parts of a tennis player’s game, from foundation to weight transfer to contact point, and make suggestions for improvement.
“Body-worn microtechnology is barely recognizable to what first appeared about twenty years ago,” Dr. Duthie said. “The big shift has been into camera-based systems. It is truly mind-blowing to think what AI will do two decades from now.”
SPRINT also provides research and consultancy services to high performance environments, including professional and collegiate sporting organizations, governing bodies as well as Defense, special operations, and emergency services units to achieve excellence in their specific domains. The services provided by SPRINT span their three major research programs; performance, recovery, and injury; all of which are underpinned with an emphasis on new and emerging technologies.
ENDS
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About Slinger: Slinger is a connected sports company delivering products and technologies across the ‘Watch, Play, Learn’ commercial activities of sport. Slinger makes sports more fun, accessible and connected through its ball launchers, AI technology, performance video, live streaming and club management software capabilities.
Slinger initially built its brand in the global tennis market, through its revolutionary Slinger Tennis Ball Launcher and accessories, with over $250 million of retail value in global distribution agreements and has grown to become one of the world’s largest connected sports companies with its acquisitions of PlaySight Interactive, GAMEFACE.AI and Foundation Tennis. With its enhanced product, performance video and live streaming media capabilities, Slinger has positioned itself as an industry-leading, disruptive company in the global sports market.
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