Article
Game, set, match: The kiosk as tennis coach
PlaySight Interactive's SmartCourt kiosks enable tennis players to garner real-time video and data to improve their games.
December 17, 2014 by Nicole Troxell — Associate Editor, Networld Media Group
For recreational and club tennis players, it's all too easy to continue to play and hit the ball just as they've always done - whether that's been successful for them or not. Without a coach, as professional and collegiate players have, the opportunities to garner good advice on their strokes or their game-playing strategies are limited at best.
PlaySight Interactive Ltd., an Israeli-based company, is looking to change all that with its SmartCourt kiosk.
An "after-action review system" the interactive SmartCourt kiosks comprise hardware and software installed directly on the court; these are augmented with on-court cameras. Using advanced image-processing and analytical algorithms, the SmartCourt system automatically tracks the players and the ball - recording all of the activity and motion during the match or practice. The collected video and activity log is then analyzed and uploaded to the Cloud, and the player's performance can be reviewed directly via the court kiosk just moments after the action has taken place (as well as post-match or post-practice online).
PlaySight has already installed 50 SmartCourts globally, it reports, including 31 here in the States. It's scheduled to install more than 100 SmartCourts in Florida, California, New York and at other locations around the world in the near future.
Kiosk Marketplace spoke with Asaf Mitzna, the company's Vice President of Product, on the design of the kiosk's hardware and how its software gives players a chance to improve their game.
Kiosk Marketplace: Tell us about PlaySight SmartCourt and how it works.
Asaf Mitzna: PlaySight SmartCourts are installed on the sides and in the middle of tennis courts to keep track of player statistics and information. The kiosks are interactive and connected to cameras on the side of the court. The basic configuration involves five to 10 cameras connected to a network cable and synced to work together. The PC inside takes all the data from cables analysis in real time, so that players can get feedback in real time. Players can see video of their game from all angles. All systems are connected to the Internet, so a player can login from a cell phone, desktop or laptop to go over the stats from any place.
Kiosk Marketplace: What are some considerations about the game of tennis that you had to keep in mind when developing the software?
Asaf Mitzna: Creating the software was a major challenge. For instance, two players understand when someone on the court is just walking through and not a player in the actual game-- we also needed the system to understand that. We needed the system to configure lighting automatically when clouds block the sun, so the cameras capture the game. We had to design all of these things for the software to be effective. We did things like test runs in real time to determine a person's behavior so that the software could simulate the action on the court.
For example, the software knows how to read forehand and backhand shots. It can create an auto-generated minute-and-a-half clip of highlights during the game that players can share on Facebook or Twitter. It also knows when a player is using what type of serve, if it's the first or second serve. It had to be designed to understand the game and what the player is doing in order to record all the statistics. When the match is over, players can see instant video of their serves or other moves during the game.
Kiosk Marketplace: Who is the market for the PlaySight SmartCourt kiosk and what did you have to consider about those demographics when developing the kiosk?
Asaf Mitzna: One of the most important concepts was that the kiosk had to be self-operated. Our market is the tennis club level, so we had to allow the system to be operated by players or coaches. Clubs usually don't have the kind of revenue for a side court operator at each practice. We had to keep the balance between very good hardware and affordability so that each club around the world could afford the system. Systems cost about $10,000 per court.
Kiosk Marketplace: Why a kiosk -- and what about kiosk hardware caused the company to select this channel?
Asaf Mitzna: The hardware is made of metal and includes a waterproof touchscreen with a very bright screen for sunlight. The reason we chose a touchscreen kiosk is that players get very sweaty, and it has to be easy to operate the machine during all challenges, so it had to be waterproof to handle both sweat and rain.
The kiosks are built to withstand all kinds of weather, including direct sun. When we designed it, the CPU had to be working at 120 percent with a very sophisticated ventilation system to cool down the computer and the screen, to keep from overtaxing and overheating it.
The kiosk is surge- and lightning-protected as well, and the system works in a range of temperatures with no problem. It can be used in the winter time, but not in places below freezing. In the winter, the system can be dismantled and plugged in again when needed.
Kiosk Marketplace: How does PlaySight affect the game of tennis?
Asaf Mitzna: Players using the kiosk can experience really dramatic changes in their game. They can watch video to see how to correct specific moves. A lot of players have never seen themselves on video or their stats, so the kiosk can help bring out the pro in each player. A player can try to improve his serve over the next two years, but by watching it on video, these improvements can happen in minutes. For example, one player's coach was always telling him he wasn't bending his knees, but by watching himself on video he could improve his game after one session. This is a way to make the game a lot more fun, too, because you have feedback, which is most important in any training or practice.
