American and Canadian tennis enthusiasts could soon get the chance to record metrics and data from recent performances to help improve their game, with Sony preparing to launch its attachable Smart Tennis Sensor early next year.
The device is planned to retail at US$200 (€152, £121) and will give players the chance to record data monitoring swing and serve by attaching it to their rackets, with the findings transferred to an app available on either Android or iOS smartphone operating systems.
The product, which has been tested to work efficiently with rackets from the likes of Wilson, Prince and Yonex, also has the option to store 12,000 shots worth of data internally, using its Memory Mode.
As well as tracking and collecting data, the partnering app will allow users to share their data with friends using social media.
The sport is looking to harness the use of technology just as the US Open gets underway, with another product recently showcased by designers Ralph Lauren.
The luxury brand’s Polo Tech offering is a high-performance smart compression shirt, which uses sensors knitted in to the fabric to read heartbeat, respiration and other biometrics.
Data collected by the shirt is stored by a "black-box" system, which also features ways of capturing movement and direction.
These findings, along with data related to energy output and stress levels are sent to a cloud system, allowing the users to view them using a tablet or smartphone.
This is not the first example of sportswear combining elements from the luxury clothing market, with recent rumours alluding to technology giant HP partnering with designer Michael Bastian to help
create a fashion-focused smartwatch.
