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Batting for gold

23 September 2009

An innovative tool developed by Monash engineers in collaboration with the Malaysian National Sports Institute could help the country’s new generation of badminton players win gold at the 2012 London Olympics.

Badminton Tracking System (BaTS), a software-based analytical tool, enables coaches to undertake an immediate post-match analysis, assessing player performance and style, as well as identify moves that could potentially cause injuries.

"The coach can analyse the stepping pattern of the player and the position on the court, which will indicate whether the player is able to take a particular shot or the best place to be positioned to play effectively," Monash School of Engineering Senior Lecturer Dr Arosha Senanayake said.

"This kind of analysis would also allow the player/coach to detect flaws that need to be improved in the player as well as the weaknesses of the opponent."

Dr Senanayake said the system was easy to set up, requiring only a 2.33 megapixel camcorder and custom-designed software for analysing video data on computer.

The BaTS system was developed by Dr Senanayake, Monash Mechatronics Engineering graduate Kokum Gayanath Weeratunga (who is now employed with the National Sports Institute), School of Engineering Assistant Lecturer Khoo Boon How and Dr Barry D. Wilson from the Institute's Centre for Biomechanics.