Michigan engineering professor uses physics to map the perfect swing

March 27, 2013

So, you're a budding baseball star. You field like Vizquel, you run like Rickey and you can spit seeds like Timmy Lincecum. But there's one problem: You can't hit.

Well, aspiring ballplayers, problem solved.

Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a device -- the Wireless Inertial Measurement Unit -- that mixes real-time swing data and physics to produce the perfect swing. Here's more information about the new technology from Mashable:

A tiny, flat device with wireless sensors is tacked to the bottom of a baseball bat. It measures the acceleration of a point and the rotation rate, and transmits the data remotely, which is converted into visuals. For example, it would reveal if a swing had a bit of an upper cut and how that angle relates to velocity - all at a rate not typically seen with the naked eye. The collected data can be digested on a variety of platforms, from computers to tablets.

And that data can then be analyzed by players and coaches to make swings ... well ... perfect. The software is still in the development phase, but it looks pretty close to game-ready:

-- Matt Monagan / MLB.com