App Designed In Boston Replaces Your Golf, Tennis Coach
BOSTON (CBS) - Whether its your golf swing or your tennis serve, players are constantly trying to improve their game. And now thanks to a new app designed right here in Boston, you can have your own personal coach on your phone or iPad.
If you upload Sports Cam or Swing Reader to your phone you can get instant analysis of your skills. The app records your technique and then with one quick click you can watch how you did.
The Boston developers of Sports Cam, UberSense, joined WBZ's Kate Merrill for a tennis practice session. While on the court, Krishna Ramchandran recorded Kate's forehand strokes and tennis serve and then was able to watch it back in slow motion.
WBZ-TV's Kate Merrill reports
Ramchandran was also able to give Kate a side-by-side comparison with tennis pro Maria Sharapova. Using Sports Cam Kate could see she was hitting the ball a little late.
When asked who would benefit from this app Ramchandran says, "Anyone who wants to get better at sports. Right from the amateur all the way to a professional athlete." Along with tennis and golf, the apps are being used for baseball, swimming. Team USA in bobsled and luge will be using the tool when they go for the gold at the winter Olympics.
Rick Sharton, the Tennis Director of the Thoreau Club in Concord, says this could have a big impact on his players. He says its great because its very easy, "Of course a picture's worth a thousand words, so when they see [the video] combined with what you're telling them they get that 'aha, now I see what you meant' and they can move forward." The app also means coaches and players no longer need to lug cumbersome video equipment onto the court or field.
The basic versions of the Sports Cam and Swing Readers are free. To get some of the cool features like side-by-side video you will have to pay a few dollars. Right now the apps are only available for Apple devices. The android version should be out soon.
