Investigating the Knuckleball Effect in Soccer Using a Smart Ball and Training Machine.

Eager, D; Ishac, K; Zhou, S; Hossain, I

Investigating the Knuckleball Effect in Soccer Using a Smart Ball and Training Machine.

Eager, D

Ishac, K

Zhou, S

Hossain, I

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Publisher:: MDPI
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Sensors (Basel), 2022, 22, (11), pp. 3984
Issue Date:: 2022-05-24

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Eager, D https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1926-7867
dc.contributor.author	Ishac, K https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6215-3297
dc.contributor.author	Zhou, S https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5070-141X
dc.contributor.author	Hossain, I
dc.date.accessioned	2022-08-06T04:26:21Z
dc.date.available	2022-05-23
dc.date.available	2022-08-06T04:26:21Z
dc.date.issued	2022-05-24
dc.identifier.citation	Sensors (Basel), 2022, 22, (11), pp. 3984
dc.identifier.issn	1424-8220
dc.identifier.issn	1424-8220
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/159696
dc.description.abstract	The term knuckleball in sporting jargon is used to describe a ball that has been launched with minimal spin, resulting in a trajectory that is erratic and unpredictable. This phenomenon was first observed in baseball (where the term originated) and has since been observed in other sports. While knuckleball has long fascinated the scientific community, the bulk of research has primarily focused on knuckleball as it occurs in baseball. Following the changes in the design of the soccer ball after the 2006 World Cup, knuckleball and ball aerodynamics were exploited by soccer players. This research examined the properties of a knuckleball in the sport of soccer. We designed and evaluated a system that could reproduce the knuckleball effect on soccer balls based on previous theories and characteristics outlined in our literature review. Our system is comprised of the Adidas miCoach Smart Ball, a companion smart phone app for data collection, a ball-launching machine with programmable functions, and a video-based tracking system and Tracker motion analysis software. The results from the testing showed that our system was successfully able to produce knuckleball behaviour on the football in a highly consistent manner. This verified the dynamic models of knuckleball that we outline. While a small portion of the data showed some lateral deviations (zig-zag trajectory), this erratic and unpredictable trajectory was much smaller in magnitude when compared to examples seen in professional games. The sensor data from the miCoach app and trajectory data from the Tracker motion analysis software, showed that the knuckleballs were consistently reproduced in-line with theoretical dynamics.
dc.format	Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	MDPI
dc.relation.ispartof	Sensors (Basel)
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.3390/s22113984
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	0301 Analytical Chemistry, 0502 Environmental Science and Management, 0602 Ecology, 0805 Distributed Computing, 0906 Electrical and Electronic Engineering
dc.subject.classification	Analytical Chemistry
dc.subject.mesh	Baseball
dc.subject.mesh	Football
dc.subject.mesh	Soccer
dc.subject.mesh	Baseball
dc.subject.mesh	Football
dc.subject.mesh	Soccer
dc.title	Investigating the Knuckleball Effect in Soccer Using a Smart Ball and Training Machine.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	22
utslib.location.activity	Switzerland
utslib.for	0301 Analytical Chemistry
utslib.for	0502 Environmental Science and Management
utslib.for	0602 Ecology
utslib.for	0805 Distributed Computing
utslib.for	0906 Electrical and Electronic Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/e-Press
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Centre for Health Technologies (CHT)
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2022-08-06T04:26:17Z
pubs.issue	11
pubs.publication-status	Published online
pubs.volume	22
utslib.citation.issue	11

Abstract:

The term knuckleball in sporting jargon is used to describe a ball that has been launched with minimal spin, resulting in a trajectory that is erratic and unpredictable. This phenomenon was first observed in baseball (where the term originated) and has since been observed in other sports. While knuckleball has long fascinated the scientific community, the bulk of research has primarily focused on knuckleball as it occurs in baseball. Following the changes in the design of the soccer ball after the 2006 World Cup, knuckleball and ball aerodynamics were exploited by soccer players. This research examined the properties of a knuckleball in the sport of soccer. We designed and evaluated a system that could reproduce the knuckleball effect on soccer balls based on previous theories and characteristics outlined in our literature review. Our system is comprised of the Adidas miCoach Smart Ball, a companion smart phone app for data collection, a ball-launching machine with programmable functions, and a video-based tracking system and Tracker motion analysis software. The results from the testing showed that our system was successfully able to produce knuckleball behaviour on the football in a highly consistent manner. This verified the dynamic models of knuckleball that we outline. While a small portion of the data showed some lateral deviations (zig-zag trajectory), this erratic and unpredictable trajectory was much smaller in magnitude when compared to examples seen in professional games. The sensor data from the miCoach app and trajectory data from the Tracker motion analysis software, showed that the knuckleballs were consistently reproduced in-line with theoretical dynamics.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/159696