Groundbreaking Technology Leverages Seam Orientation and Weather Data from Optical Sensors to Give Accurate Predictions on Ball Flight & Trajectory
LAKE MARY, Fla., March 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- BaseballCloud, a leader in cutting-edge hardware and software technologies for player development, scouting, and fan engagement, today announced it is releasing a new Seam Shifted Wake (SSW) model that leverages a proprietary ball flight algorithm to provide revolutionary insights for in-game and predictive pitching analysis.
Developed in partnership with Dr. Glenn Healey, Ph.D., a Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of California, Irvine, BaseballCloud's SSW model is an aerodynamic ball flight model that includes all of the forces that are known to affect the trajectory of a baseball. It is the only SSW model in baseball that provides visualization and predictive technologies for all types of pitches, not just a select few.
BaseballCloud's SSW model incorporates weather data and seam orientation to give a more accurate expected vertical and horizontal movement of a pitch. Previously developed ball flight trajectory models only incorporate force components due to drag, Magnus, and gravity into their models, which often results in a significant variation from actual to predicted ball flight trajectory. SSW additionally considers the impact of seam orientation which is accurately measured by the Yakkertech system to create the most accurate ball flight trajectory model known to date. This new technology provides more precise insights and a percentage breakdown of all forces affecting ball flight to give pitchers the ability to know exactly what is accounting for the movement of their pitches across drag, Magnus, and SSW effects.
"I am thrilled to be partnering with BaseballCloud to bring this new technology to the baseball community. I'm very impressed with the accuracy and utility of the Yakkertech seam orientation measurements and the ability of BallR to bring the SSW model to life." said Dr. Glenn Healey, Ph.D.
By quantifying the relationship between seam orientation, pitch trajectory, and pitch value, BaseballCloud's SSW technology will provide major league and collegiate teams, players, coaches, scouts, and analysts with an incredibly accurate new tool for evaluating, comparing, and forecasting the performance of pitchers. The SSW model is exclusive to BaseballCloud and will be released later this year, deployed inside of BaseballCloud's suite of data visualization tools including BallR and PitchR.
"Dr. Healey's work is truly groundbreaking – we are honored to be partnering with him to bring this revolutionary model to the highest level of baseball," said Kevin Davidson, Co-Founder and CEO of BaseballCloud. "We are in the midst of the new wave of sports technology, and these developments and specialized insights will improve player performance and change the way that coaches and organizations approach every situation by leveraging data. BaseballCloud is committed to building the best, most accurate data and analytics platforms and tools to support the growth of the game and we're excited to see how these advancements will help shape the future of baseball."
"Our goal is to empower players to optimize performance and be the best they can be, and the SSW model is a key component of achieving that mission," said Ryan Reinsel, VP of Innovation at BaseballCloud. "This model is a game-changer in the way that it allows you to truly measure ball flight and trajectory, and manipulate the seams to see how well you can maximize them for additional movement. The impact that this product will have on player development is undeniable."
BaseballCloud is the leader in harnessing sports technology and produces professional software solutions to MLB, NCAA, International, Agency, and Amateur organizations across the globe. The company's end-to-end data pipeline allows clients and partners to leverage cutting-edge camera technology, industry-leading ball tracking, and its data analytics suite all in one place. BaseballCloud's flagship product, Yakkertech, an optical-tracking system that captures and analyzes ball-flight data with unparalleled precision, also recently announced an exclusive partnership to create the first-ever quantifiable measure of Pitcher Command with PitchCom, the innovative wearable device that transmits signals from catcher to pitcher, and is best known for its use by Major League Baseball. The partnership will revolutionize command metrics by utilizing Yakkertech's cameras to log each pitch and cross-reference them with the signal transmitted by the catcher through PitchCom, automatically calculating intended and observed pitch locations. This information will provide teams with valuable tools to grade performance and make relevant adjustments based on the frequency, direction, and distance of misses.
About BaseballCloud
Built by players, for players, BaseballCloud offers a revolutionary suite of hardware and software tools to empower baseball and softball players at all levels to optimize performance. The company's flagship product, Yakkertech™, is an optical-tracking system that captures and analyzes ball-flight data with unparalleled precision. Alongside Yakkertech™, BaseballCloud is a leader in shaping the future of the sport with cutting-edge technologies for player development, scouting, and fan engagement. Visit www.baseballcloud.com to learn more.
SOURCE BaseballCloud
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