SmartBall to revolutionize cricket
Sports
With the world quickly transitioning to smart technologies, cricket is certainly not leaving itself behind. A SmartBall is all set to transform the way the game is played and understood. The ball, which has been developed by Kookaburra in collaboration with the tech company ‘SportCor’, recently made its professional debut in the ongoing T20 Caribbean Premier League.
What is the ‘SmartBall’?
SmartBall is exactly like a normal Kookaburra leather ball with an embedded electronic microchip in its interior core. This chip helps detect the speed and the revolutions of the ball at all times.
Even better, it can transmit data in real-time to a connected device via Bluetooth and allows being charged wirelessly. Currently, a single charge lasts for about 8 hours; which is sufficient to finish any format of the game.
Does it behave differently from a normal ball?
The ball has the same leather exteriors stitched over an internal electronic, and which is identical to the traditional core in weight, size and bounce to the traditional core.
Moreover, the ball has been tested by global professionals at the Kookaburra ball testing facility for speed ranges exceeding 150 kmph. Over the years the ball has also been further perfected to be used in professional matches.
How is it different from the existing technologies?
The SmartBall’s ability to collect data at any time, already makes it a standout from the existing ball-tracking technologies, which rely on external equipments. Hawkeye (an existing ball-tracking technology), can only detect only the trajectory of the ball from one end of the pitch to the other.
SmartBall can redefine the learning curve
SmartBall ball overcomes these limitations with flying colours, as it provides a real-time 3D analysis of all parameters, including - the speed, position and spin of the ball.
With the SmartBall, a bowler can easily map the pitching angle, the change in seam position, and any deviation from the original trajectory of the ball - all at the touch of a button. With all these pluses, SmartBall can go a long way in redefining the learning curve for young bowlers and their trainers.
Current limitations and future applications
The only issue that looms over the usage of SmartBall in international games is its longevity, especially in rapidly changing weather conditions and if the ball is to be used in longer formats such as test crickets and ODIs.
However, in future, the ball will be useful in improving the existing DRS technology, and in predicting whether the bat has been nicked or not. The ball has nicked the bat or not.
Also, as an important application, the ball is currently being tested to conclusively predict conclusively whether a low catch has been taken neatly or it hit a green patch on its way.
Technology helping with analysis
Apart from SmartBall, certain new technologies are also on the cusp of reaching the big stage - such as a smart bat which helps batsmen analyze the swing movement and bat speed.
No-Ball decisions can also be automated with the use of lasers similar to the automated line call in tennis and goal-line technology in football. Cricket is indeed poised for a future without on-field umpires.
Author’s opinion
Cricket is a game that is highly dependent on the decisions of the umpire. With bowlers becoming faster, newer innovations taking place in spin deliveries, and with every run and decision becoming more vital than ever, even a small human error by the umpires only adds a lot of unneeded ambiguity and controversy.
However, but ever since the introduction of the third umpire in 1992, and the iconic first run-out decision given against Sachin Tendulkar, technology and cricket have become inseparable, don’t you think?
Persevere or pivot - Common early pitfalls for startups
Startup
While success is success, failure is learning.
90% of Start-Ups fail in the first year of their existence, but 99.99% of them fall prey to the same pitfalls.
For entrepreneurs clawing their way back to normalcy from these pitfalls is nothing short of a miracle. So if you’re an entrepreneur or are soon to be one, we thought of sharing what you must definitely not do because there’s plenty of people telling you what to do.
When observed closely, the mistakes these early-stage founders commit can be broadly categorized into the following 6:
Overcomplicating things
Incongruous team
Chasing perfection
Overprotecting ideas
Ignoring feedback
Mismanaging finances
Over-complicating things
The right product need not be fancy, it just needs to solve the problem. Early-stage founders usually lose sight of the fact that packing their product with a plethora of features won’t necessarily add value to their customers. Most features end up becoming irrelevant in the success or failure of the product, thereby costing the startup time and resources.
Incongruous team
A startup can function like a well-oiled machine only when all of its stakeholders, including employees, investors, mentors, suppliers, and other partners are a fit. Apart from not hiring the right talent, another mistake young entrepreneurs make is not choosing their investors properly. An investor’s guidance and network can be pivotal to make or break a startup.
Chasing perfection
The initial product doesn’t need to be perfect. Considering the changing trends in the market, waiting to build a perfect product can cost the founders a great opportunity. Always remember that audiences and investors alike value a MVP aka Minimum Viable Product.
Over-protecting ideas
“Paisa idea kaa nahi execution kaa milta hai”
An idea just by itself can never make a successful business! Founders are usually under the notion that they need to guard their idea at all costs and are therefore sometimes very apprehensive about sharing it even with potential investors. Most investors would never sign an NDA to just listen to your idea. So make sure you don’t chase a potential partner away by being cagey.
Ignoring feedback
Feedback isn’t good or bad. It’s just information, one that you must rationally evaluate and even disregard if it doesn’t make sense. So much in love with their idea, entrepreneurs are usually not open to criticism.
Developing a product without enough input from the customers and strategic partners can be detrimental to the business. As a startup is always struggling for resources, good feedback can bring a lot of competitive advantage.
Mismanaging finances
Efficiently plan your runway and not have an erratic burn rate to have enough time to raise the next round. Three common mistakes with finances are:
Underestimating expenses: Usually, in an effort to keep a low equity dilution, founders raise a bare minimum and this mistake often makes the founders go back to raise more.
Unnecessary expenses: Utilization of cash flow or capital should be mapped even before you decide to raise.
Paying themselves too much: Usually seen as a red flag by early-stage investors and might just cost one the cheque.
Failure is just a stepping stone to success
If Edison’s famous quote “I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.” teaches us something, it's that even if your first or even nth idea doesn’t work, you pick yourself up, dust off the failures and continue the grind.
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