IoT Platform for Sports Analytics

This paper is an experience report on IoT platforms for sports analytics. In our prior work [11], we proposed iBall, a system that explores the possibility of bringing IoT to sports analytics, particularly to the game of Cricket. iBall develops solutions to track a ball's 3D trajectory and spin with inexpensive sensors and radios embedded in the ball. Towards this end, iBall performs fusion of wireless and inertial sensory data and integrates them into physics-based motion models of a ball in flight. The median ball location error is at 8cm while rotational error remains below 12° even at the end of the flight. The results do not rely on training, hence we expect the core techniques to extend to other sports like baseball, with some domain-specific modifications.