Golf Swing Speed Analysis via Pre-Impact Sound
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional systems analyzing golf swings using audio recordings face challenges in discerning useful data due to the wide range of variables affecting sound at impact, making it difficult to accurately determine swing characteristics like speed outside controlled environments.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a microphone positioned in a known orientation relative to the golf ball to analyze the sound signal before impact, identifying key features like the time of impact and sound pressure levels to determine swing characteristics such as speed, with coefficients adjusted for specific equipment combinations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If audio recordings are used to analyze golf swing characteristics, then swing speed can be determined, but accuracy deteriorates due to wide range of variables affecting sound at impact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the audio signal from the impact moment into a time-reversed pre-impact sound signal. By changing the temporal parameter (time reversal) and analyzing characteristics of the pre-impact sound rather than the impact sound itself, the system achieves accurate swing speed measurement while becoming adaptable to various environmental conditions, as the pre-impact sound is less affected by impact variables.
2Loss of information
If conventional optical systems are used to analyze golf swing, then visual images can be collected, but device complexity increases due to need for cameras and image recognition software
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the optical measurement system (cameras and image recognition software) with an acoustic measurement system using a microphone and signal processing. This substitution maintains the ability to capture swing characteristic data while significantly reducing device complexity, as audio recording and analysis is inherently simpler than visual image capture and processing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate and reliable determination of golf swing speed in various conditions, providing useful information for users and offering equipment recommendations and personal training insights.
Implementation Method 1
a microphone positioned in a known orientation relative to the golf ball to analyze the sound signal before impact
Data Source
AI summary
A system, device, and methods include or utilize a microphone, a processor, and a user interface. The microphone senses sound and in response outputs a sound signal indicative of the sound. The processor is coupled to the microphone to receive the sound signal, configured to analyze the sound signal to identify in the sound signal an impact of a golf club with a golf ball during a swing of the golf club and determine a characteristic of the swing of the golf club based on a portion of the sound signal corresponding to sound sensed, at least in part, before the impact. The user interface is coupled to the processor and configured to display information related to the characteristic of the swing as determined by the processor.