Badminton SEP10 Project

Context: What is badminton?

Badminton is a sport that uses lightweight rackets and a birdie/shuttlecock, with the goal being to get the birdie over the net. Its mostly popular in East Asian countries, such as China, Taiwan, and South Korea. Considering that badminton is a sport, you may not think there are any relevant technologies connected to it at first glance. However, there are a few softwares, apps, and systems that aid badminton players and referees when it comes to gameplay or scheduling.

Existing technology in badminton

There are many existing technologies in badminton so far, whether it's software or hardware. For software, there are many apps and software platforms. While for hardware, there are technologies like hawk-eye technology and other technologies meant to modify the racket for the better.

Software

Software platforms

Badminton softwares are used for scheduling courts, booking, tournament/league planners, and generally just any type of planning in time to play a game of badminton. Softwares like this can be useful because you can either plan a time to play badminton with your friends in a court, or you can help plan tournaments as a professional badminton player if you choose to be one. Additionally, you can find a badminton team you can play on with these softwares.

Apps

Badminton apps are used for being updated on tournaments, like a schedule or calendar, or live scores. Additional features found in these apps are videos/communication features.Most badminton apps are also accessible on the Google play and Apple stores.

Hardware

Hawk-eye technology

Hawk-eye is a world-famous tracking system that can practically be known as a computer vision review system which is used in many sports. In badminton, it’s used to determine the trajectory of the shuttle. This existing technology has a strong reputation, due to its accuracy and reliability.

Racket technologies

Most racket technologies are most commonly used on the famous Yonex racket, significantly improving the frame of the racket. Some of the ideas put into place were NAMD, anti-vibration, and a better rotational system. For instance, NAMD technology improves the impact the racket will have on the birdie and the speed of your racket, anti-vibration helps make gameplay more comfortable, removing any potentially unhealthy vibrations from the racket, and rotational system allows more control over the racket, increasing accuracy when returning the birdie.

Future technology ideas in badminton

Multiple headed racket

The idea of a multiple headed racket allows players to hit a birdie from multiple angles. It should be lightweight despite the heaviness the additional heads may bring to ensure it's easy to hold and move around. People may have been seen taping multiple rackets together to act like this, but it would be fun to play with a real multi-headed racket.

Advanced kid-friendly birdie

There are birdies with softer tips made out of foam for kids. However, the foam balls on the tip generally look too big, so I would adjust this invention to make it smaller. Additionally, if people are allergic to foam, new materials that are soft enough to function on the birdie that are also soft, like a cotton ball underneath a fabric would be a good alternative for them.

Customizable birdie

Similar to the kid-friendly birdie, this birdie can come with both the original cork/rubber tip and the foam tip for more customization instead. People who engage in this idea can pop off and on the tip that they’d like to use. In case if one of the tips is lost, this birdie pack can come with multiple tips.