FAQs on Spektacom PowerBat Technology

PowerBat technology uses an ultra-lightweight credit card sized sensor sticker (PowerSticker) that can be easily placed on the back of the bat to get real time feedback on batting performance, including data on bat speed, impact location, twist, launch angle, and power. The PowerBat technology brings a new dimension to the way batting performance can be analyzed by broadcasters, professionals, amateurs, and coaches.

How does PowerSticker work?

The PowerSticker is designed to capture precise & detailed information pertaining to the shots played by a cricket player. The PowerSticker has multiple sensors which capture shot data, which is then transmitted to an app using Bluetooth, and sent to the cloud for later retrieval by the user.

What are the metrics currently in use?

Bat Speed: It is the speed of the bat at the time of impact with the ball, measured in km/hr. Bat speed is one of the metrics used to determine the power of your shot. Understanding your bat speeds can help you immensely in timing the ball better and generating better power in your strokes.

Bat Twist: It is the degree of rotation of the bat that is observed at the time of the impact of the ball with the bat. It helps you to determine the deviation between the intended and the actual direction of the shot. You might experience a higher bat twist when your bat grip is not firm while playing the shot.

Impact Location: It is the location of the where the ball makes contact with the bat, measured in % from the sweet spot location. The closer the shot to the sweet spot, the higher the impact score. It helps you to measure the effectiveness (timing) of the shot played. Some of the best players in the world cricket, like Sachin Tendulkar, always focused on perfecting the timing on the ball.

Bat Power: It is a metric derived from the all other metrics (bat speed, twist, and impact). It is measured in the unit of SPEKs, that helps to measure the overall power of the shot. It is a measure that will allow you to compare and contrast your scores on power hitting with your friends and favorite cricket stars.

How to understand and analyse SPEK?

The bat power metric is measured using the unit SPEK. It a parameter that combines all other parameters to provide a holistic measure on the overall power of the shot. The metric helps you to determine the efficiency of your effort in playing the shot and effectiveness on the type of shot played.

For example: If you play a lofted pull shot, what is the least effort required to score the maximum run possible for the shot? The analysis of the power hitting can be broken down into

• If the bat speed is not good enough, the chances of getting caught at the boundary are high
• If the bat twist on impact is high, the ball may travel in a direction or in a trajectory not intended by you
• If it is not timed well (not hit on the sweet spot region of the bat), the effort spent on hitting the ball will be wasted
• Instead, assume that you have timed the ball perfectly on the sweet spot of the bat. Now, you can analyse your bat speed to determine the optimal downswing required for perfecting the shot

You can use SPEK to benchmark the type of shots you play against different bowlers. You can also use it to compare and contrast with peers or other professional players to understand the effectiveness of the shot against similar bowlers.

Are there any restriction on the type of bats?

No! There are no restrictions on the type of bat that you can use, unless you are talking about non-wooden bats. You can take any standard cricket bat and use the PowerSticker to transform your bat into a PowerBat.

Will PowerSticker affect my batting?

We understand the impact of any weight difference on the bat and hence the sensor sticker is designed to be non-intrusive and ultra-light weight. You won’t feel any difference in weight even after the sticker is placed on your bat.

Can PowerBat be used in broadcasting?

Yes! The technology was used in the 2019 Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) during live match broadcasting, the first such instance in world cricket. Recently, it was used in IPL 2020 as part of the PowerShot Challenge — a matchup between the biggest power hitters from multiple IPL franchises, and shown on Star Sports. It empowers broadcasters to enhance fan engagement by providing contextual insights in batting and with never before seen player stories and matchups.

Is it only for professional players or can any cricket enthusiast use it to improve their performance?

PowerBat technology will be soon available for all the cricket enthusiasts to purchase and use. It will help them to understand the nuances in their batting techniques and also add a fun element by enabling them to create personalized groups and compare their scores with their friends, and even with their favourite superstars of the game. They can engage more with the game and in the process win some exciting prizes.

If you are an enthusiast and interested in getting the sticker as soon as it is available,

How will it benefit coaches and academies?

Coaches can use this technology to continuously measure, track, and analyse the performance of their students. Students can also send their practice drill data and videos to their coaches, through the mobile app, for remote analysis. The technology enables data-driven model of coaching by objectively analysing every shot played and the overall performance of the student with contextual insights and visualizations.

How to setup PowerBat tech?

The technology is quite simple to use. Peel it, stick it, smack it. Just stick the PowerSticker as instructed, download the Spektacom app from the App Store or Play Store, and start taking your PowerShots. If you are using a bat sponsor sticker, stick the PowerSticker underneath the bat sponsor sticker, i.e. between the bat wood and sponsor sticker.

Broadcast edition: A smart receiver will be placed behind the stumps and in the pit. It will be wired directly to the broadcaster room and the data will be received instantaneously when the batsman plays the shot.

Originally published at https://spektacom.com on October 20, 2020.