Nov 17, 2015 | By Tess
Rip-It Sports, a Florida based baseball and softball design company that has been around since 2003, has knocked it out of the park with their most recent product: the smartBAT. The smartBAT, which looks quite like your standard baseball or softball bat, combines sports with 3D printing and electronic technology as it possesses the ability to provide the hitter with real time data, swing speed, and contact analytics for each swing and hit made.
The smartBAT was developed in an effort to facilitate training practices for baseball and softball players by giving them immediate feedback on their swings as well as to make state of the art training practices available to those without a personal trainer, for instance. Not only able to provide real time analytics, however, the smartBAT also compiles the data over time, allowing the player in question to see how they have developed and progressed in their skills and performance.
After lots of development and various prototypes for the smartBAT, Rip-It’s final version functions by means of a quarter-sized electronic board that is embedded in the bat’s handle, which has been 3D printed specifically to fit and accommodate the technology. Once the data is gathered by the electronic circuit board, the information is automatically synced to your smartphone, which uses an algorithm to translate the raw data into various categories of information, such as swing speed, quality of contact, swing angle, and number of swings, all of which can be viewed through a user-friendly interface.
The smartBAT does not require any assembly, as the company boasts it is ready to be used “right out of the box.” You need only swing the bat and begin to understand your performance through the information it conveys to you, which is captured at a rate of 1000 data points per second.
Additionally, the smartBAT was designed to have a long battery life – it can reportedly run for a whole week without charging thanks to Bluetooth Low Energy. When the battery is exhausted, however, the smartBAT can be recharged simply by putting in place an attachment that is made to fit over the 3D printed knob that encases the electric board. The charging attachment can be connected by a USB cable to a power source and features a charging indicator light. The prototypes for the attachment, such as the one pictured above, were also 3D printed.
Rip-It have designed and presented their final prototype for the smartBAT through a Kickstarter campaign, which was launched earlier today. If the company’s goal of $30,000 is reached by December 17th, 2015, Rip-It will begin to manufacture the smartBAT and make it market-ready. For now, the company is using its Kickstarter campaign to gauge enthusiasm for the project, especially from baseball and softball players. Rip-It also hopes to work with their early backers to get user experience feedback to further refine their product.
Considering the experience Rip-It Sports already possesses in designing baseball and softball equipment there is little doubt that the 3D printed smartBAT will be a home run. If you happen to be an avid baseball, softball or even just sports enthusiast get a glimpse of the future of sports training through their project.
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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That is really awesome as a softball player I understand that learning to find you swing can be very challenging. Although, how much is the bat? I think this is a really great idea.