2014 seems to be the breakout year for wearable tech and activity tracking devices, as we’ve already seen so many offerings and things to come get showcased at CES just a couple weeks ago. As the year continues we’ll see more and more stuff come from some of our favorite brands, and so far we’ve already seen plenty from the likes of companies like LG, Samsung, and Sony. Smart watches, and fitness bands, (and who could forget Google Glass), aren’t the only devices getting pushed out this year though, as Sony has started developing something that is truly unique in this category. Check out Sony’s new Smart Tennis Sensor, which they actually announced at CES along with their “smart wear” smart band. This isn’t just your average racket, Sony’s goal with the tennis sensor is to track your tennis stats, from the number of shots, to swing speed, and even ball rotation. The Smart Tennis Sensor just might be what you need to score some “Love” games.
Sony is developing this sensor with player’s completely in mind, so the idea is not to add any extra weight to the racket. While this is a challenge in and of itself, Sony has not been one to back down from a challenge. The Smart Tennis Sensor weighs in at a mere 8 grams, and depending on the weight of the actual racket this pairs with, you might not even have any extra weight at all. The Smart Tennis Sensor is supposed to launch sometime in the end of May, and when it’s available for purchase it will cost in the neighborhood of $175, or 18,000 yen, although it will only be available in Japan at first. The Smart Tennis Sensor will have a downloadable companion app to go along with it so you can sync up any of the data that you want to track, and there’s even a feature to synchronize any data being tracked with a video that’s being shot while you play, so you can analyze your game later on.
The Sony Smart Tennis Sensor should prove to be an invaluable tool for training and help players elevate their game to new levels, as well as provide general useful information about their stats in case their curious. The sensor at launch will only be supported by a handful of 6 different rackets that are part of the Yonex line, but that could change the longer the sensor is available. It syncs up to your smartphone via bluetooth, and even has sharing capabilities via the companion app in case the player would want to share their data via Facebook. This really takes the whole idea of activity tracking devices for consumers in a new direction and were eager to see what Sony really does with this technology.
Source/Image Credit: Sony
Via: AndroidCentral