Âé¶¹´«Ã½

Technology

Smart balls reveal skills of better bowlers

By Paul Marks

6 January 2010

Âé¶¹´«Ã½. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Bowling better

(Image: Action Press/Rex Features)

IF YOUR tenpin bowling is a bit off-target a smart training ball might one day keep your shots out of the gutter.

Sports scientist of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia fitted aluminium tubes in the thumb and finger holes of a regular bowling ball. Each tube had a strain gauge at the bottom to measure and log the forces the players’ fingers were applying on each shot.

Ten players of differing abilities used the ball to attempt various shots. Fuss found that the strain gauge measurements from the ball…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with Âé¶¹´«Ã½ events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, today with our introductory offers

or

Existing subscribers

Sign in to your account
Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop