高科技電子網球拍原理運作揭祕
In 1990, when Eric Babolat was a college student in France, he remembers watching Sharon Stone play tennis with a hologram instructor in the movie Total Recall and thinking, "That's the future of tennis." This was not idle reflection. Babolat represents the fifth generation in a family business of tennis equipment makers, started when his great-great grandfather made the first strings out of sheep gut, obtained from the slaughterhouses of Lyon. Their latest innovation, a racquet called Babolat Play, has just come on the market. This time, it's not just strung; it's wired.
埃裏克o百保力記得，1990年他在法國上大學時，曾經看過一部名叫《宇宙威龍》（Total Recall ）的電影。在這部電影中，莎朗o斯通和一個全息投影的“教練”一起打網球。當時埃裏克不禁想到：“這就是網球的未來”。他可不是閒着沒事纔回想往事。埃裏克o百保力是著名家族企業、法國網羽設備製造商百保力集團（Babolat）的第五代繼承人，從他的曾曾祖父開始，百保力家族就已經在用羊腸線製做網球拍，製作原料來自法國里昂的屠宰場。百保力集團最近推出了一款名叫Babolat Play的網球拍。特別之處在於它是一副安裝有電子設備的網球拍。The company first came up with the idea of a connected racquet a decade ago, thinking it would provide more reliable data about prototypes. "We have professional testers who analyze if a racquet is rigid, heavy, light," Babolat says. "We wanted to make sure that they were speaking the same language, and our engineers wanted captors to show exactly what was going on." They quickly realized this feature could prove interesting for players, too. "Nobody really knows what happens the moment the racquet hits the ball."
百保力公司早在十年以前就提出了電子網球拍的理念，它覺得這樣做可以收集更加可靠的數據用來開發原型產品。埃裏克o百保力說：“我們有專業的測試人員測試一支網球拍是否太硬、太重或太輕了。我們希望所有測試人員都按照相同的標準測試，而且我們的工程師也想要捕捉詳細的數據來進行研究。”後來他們很快發現，這項功能也會吸引網球運動員們的興趣。“沒有人具體知道球拍擊中球的那一刻究竟發生了什麼。”At the time, the technology wasn't up to the task, but three years ago it looked more promising, and Babolat gave it another go. To develop the system, it hired Movea, a leader in motion sensing technology headquartered in Grenoble. (In 2008, Movea acquired Gyration, who had worked with Nintendo on an early prototype for the Wii.) Babolat established two conditions. First, the technology would have to fit inside the racquet handle so that it wouldn't affect a player's game. Second, it needed to be accessible and useful to all players, not just pros.
當時，這項技術還沒有立即提上議事日程。到了三年前，這項技術似乎變得越來越吸引人，於是百保力集團又進行了一次嘗試。這家公司重金聘請了總部位於法國格勒諾布爾市的運動感應技術公司Movea來研發這個系統。【2008年，Movea收購了曾與任天堂（Nintendo）合作研發Wii遊戲機早期原型機的Gyration公司。】百保力集團專門提出了兩個條件：第一，這個技術單元必須嵌入到網球拍的手柄內部，以免影響運動員比賽。第二，它的實用性必須針對所有運動員，而並不只是針對專業人士。
They started by modifying the company's bestselling model, the Pure Drive. The Play version is the same weight, around 11 ounces, and looks nearly identical; the only obvious difference is two orange stripes at the bottom of the handle, buttons that activate the racquet and synchronize it via Bluetooth.
研發團隊開始在百保力最暢銷的網球拍產品Pure Drive的基礎上進行開發。Babolat Play和Pure Drive的重量相同，都是11盎司，外觀看起來也一般無二。唯一顯著的區別是Babolat Play的手柄底部有兩個橙色亮條，以及用來激活球拍和通過藍牙進行同步的按鈕。You have to remember to switch the racquet on before playing -- and, prior to that, to charge it. Afterwards, you download the data to your user account on a computer, tablet or smartphone app. Here you can see a breakdown of your shots by number and classification (forehands, backhands, serves, smashes), the power of your strokes in percentage, based on the speed of the racquet (100 percent corresponds roughly to a flat serve of 136 miles per hour), the type of spin you use and how often. An impact locator shows what percentage of your shots hit the sweet spot or the areas around it. CyrilleSoubeyrat, vice president of engineering for Movea, says this was the most complicated feature to make, requiring the development of brand new technology.
打球之前，一定要記得打開球拍的開關——當然前提是別忘了充電。運動完畢後，你可以在電腦、平板或智能手機上通過一款應用登陸你的個人賬戶，下載你的數據。你在這裏可以看到對運動數據的詳細分類（正手、反手、發球、高壓球），它還可以根據球拍的運行速度測算出你的擊球力度，然後用百分比的形式顯示出來（100%的力度大致相當於平擊發球的速度達到每小時136英里）。另外它還能分析你經常使用的旋轉球的種類和頻率。球拍上安裝的衝擊定位器可以顯示有多少比率的擊球是擊中了球拍的最佳擊球點或其附近位置。Movea公司工程副總裁西里爾o索貝萊特表示，衝擊定位器是整個產品研發過程中最難的部件，需要專門開發全新的技術。Soubeyrat did his best to explain in simple terms what happens inside the racquet during play. In the handle, sensors deliver signals to an electronic system, which executes algorithms. Some analysis takes place continuously, such as the racquet's position in relation to the ground. Other measurements start each time the ball hits the strings, setting off a reaction like when a car crash sets off an airbag.
索貝萊特儘可能用簡單的語言向我們解釋了這款球拍的工作原理：運動時，手柄中的傳感器會向負責運行算法的電子控制系統發送信號。有些分析運算會不間斷地進行，比如球拍相對於地面的位置。其它的運算只是在擊球的一瞬間才啓動，就像車輛發生撞擊時，氣囊就會自動彈出一樣。At the moment of impact, the racquet experiences several modes of flexion and torsion, and at different frequencies. The electronic system analyzes all of these vibrations simultaneously, and within 200 milliseconds produces information about 20 different properties of the shot. At the same time, it recognizes and rejects all the "parasitic" gestures, such as bouncing the ball between serves or using the racquet to whack clay off one's sneakers.
擊球的瞬間，球拍短時內會在不同頻率上經歷好幾種形式的彎曲、扭曲。電子控制系統會實時分析所有這些震動，在不到200毫秒的時間內，就會得出關於這次擊球的大概20種不同性質的數據。同時它還可以自動識別、排除一些“無關動作”，比如在發球間隙將球彈來彈去時造成的震動，以及用球拍敲掉沾在球鞋上的土時造成的震動。Soubeyrat says the technology is remarkably accurate, even if there are things it cannot measure, like whether that ball you hit so powerfully went right over the court and into the parking lot. Eventually, he says, other tools could round out the offer, such as sensors in the shoes.
索貝萊特表示，這項技術的精確度非常驚人，儘管有些東西目前它可能還無法測量到，比如說某次擊球力度太大，將球打出界外甚至打到了停車場裏。但是索貝萊特認爲，最終隨着其它工具的發展（比如在網球鞋裏安裝傳感器），這個問題終究會得到解決。One of the most addictive things about the new technology is the gaming aspect. Each player starts out as a "newbie" and can work his or her way up through levels like a video game. "There's nothing more frustrating in tennis than feeling you aren't progressing," Eric Babolat says. "To put a bit of reward in the application seemed like an obvious thing to do." You can join the global Babolat Play community, check your ranking and compare your performance to other players, even Rafael Nadal. If you like what you see you can share the data on Facebook.
這項新技術最令人上癮的地方是它含有電子遊戲的因素在裏面。每個運動員一開始都是一個“菜鳥”，然後可以像打遊戲一樣逐漸“升級”。坎裏克o百保力說：“網球這項運動最令人沮喪的莫過於覺得自己沒有進步。因此，在這款應用中加入一點激勵的元素也就成了順理成章的事。”你可以加入全球Babolat Play社區，然後查看自己的排名，把自己的表現和其他球員（甚至是納達爾）進行對比。如果你對自己的進步滿意的話，也可以把你的數據分享到Facebook上。Can the racquet improve a player's technique? "The advantage of gaming is that it motivates people to play more tennis," Babolat says. "It's exciting to see how you evolve." The company lent me a Play for a couple of weeks to try out. After noting (to my chagrin) that all of my serves were flat, I concentrated on adding some spin and immediately saw the difference, on the court and on the app. As for the impact locator, I managed to hit the sweet spot a good part of the time, but also hit a sizable percentage below it, and realized that I wasn't bending my knees enough. Afterwards, going back to my old racquet was a bit of a letdown.
這樣一款電子球拍是否真能提高網球愛好者的技術？對此，埃裏克o百保力說：“遊戲元素的好處是，它能鼓勵人們花更多的時間練習網球。看着自己的技術一天天提高，這種感覺很令人興奮。”這家公司借給我一支球拍讓我試用一兩個星期。在它的提醒下，我注意到我的所有發球都太平了，於是我着重加了一些旋轉進去，結果馬上就看到了效果，而且無論是實地效果還是在應用上顯示的效果都很明顯。至於撞擊定位器的功能，雖然我有相當一部分擊球都正中甜點，但仍然有很大一部分擊球點的位置偏低，於是我意識到是這是我的膝蓋彎得不夠造成的。但是用回我的舊球拍之後，我又有點鬆勁了。Babolat introduced the Play in mid-December in the United States, its number one market, selling it in 50 specialized stores. (It launches in Europe in May.) Though it was on the shelves for only ten days, it took fourth place for December's overall tennis racquet sales in the U.S., in terms of dollar value -- at $400, it is roughly twice the price of a normal racquet. Eric Babolat notes that in 2013, his company sold 1.8 million unconnected racquets worldwide, and he feels that the potential for connected racquets is huge: "I'm convinced that 10 years from now all racquets will be wired."
百保力集團在12月中旬將Play球拍引入其第一大市場美國，目前這款產品在美國的50個專營店中有售。（相比之下今年五月纔在歐洲發佈。）上架僅十天，它的銷量就佔到12月美國所有品牌網球拍銷量的第四位。Play球拍的售價爲400美元，基本上是一個普通球拍的兩倍。埃裏克o百保力指出，2013年，他的公司在全球共賣出180萬支普通球拍，他覺得電子球拍具有巨大的潛力：“我相信，十年以後，所有的球拍將都安裝電子設備。”Meanwhile, two other companies have been working on a similar concept. Artengo, a French brand specializing in modestly priced racquet sport equipment, now sells a gadget that attaches to the outside of a handle and gathers data (also developed by Movea). And in January, Sony (SNE) showed off a prototype sensor at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Weighing under 3 ounces and made to snap onto the butt of certain Yonex racquets, it comes out in Japan this spring.
與此同時，還有另外兩家公司也在研究類似的產品。比如法國迪卡儂旗下的Artengo品牌專門銷售中端價位的球拍和其它運動產品，現在Artengo推出了一款可以附着在球拍手柄之外收集數據的設備（也是由Movea公司研發的）。另外，今年一月，索尼公司（Sony）在拉斯維加斯的消費電子展上展出了一款傳感器的原型產品。它的重量不足3盎司，可以附着在尤尼克斯（Yonex，一家日本網羽用品公司）公司的球拍上。它今年春天已經在日本正式上市。Babolat sees this competition as encouraging. "I'm surprised that Sony is among the first to enter this field, since sports is not really their thing. But it's reassuring to see that they are focusing on tennis, and that they believe it has potential as online community entertainment."
埃裏克o百保力認爲這種競爭令人振奮。他說：“索尼成爲第一批在這個領域競爭的公司之一，這讓我覺得很驚訝，因爲體育並不是他們擅長的方面。但是看到他們也把重點放在網球上，並且他們也相信在線社區娛樂的潛力，還是讓人吃了一顆定心丸。”Last July, the International Tennis Federation wrote its 31st rule, permitting the use of approved "Player Analysis Technology" during competitions. Babolat is looking forward to the day the Play makes its debut in an official tournament. For the moment, however, only the Pure Drive is wired, and the company's star ambassadors -- Nadal and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga -- use a different model.
去年七月，國際網球協會（International Tennis Federation）制訂了它的第31條規則，允許在網球比賽中使用經過批准的“運動員分析技術”。埃裏克o百保力非常期待有一天能在正式的網球錦標賽上看到Play球拍的亮相。目前這家公司的產品中，電子球拍只有Pure Drive一款，而公司的產品代言人納達爾和威爾弗雷德o特松加則使用的是另一款產品。The pros had the chance to try the new racquet at a demonstration match at Roland Garros in 2012. According to Babolat, Nadal and his coach, Antonio Nadal, were like children when they got their hands on it -- Toni teasing his nephew that now he'd see how badly he was serving, Rafa responding that he would show his uncle just how powerfully he was hitting. "They are always on the lookout for the detail that make a difference," the Frenchman says. "A player feels certain things, and his trainer sees others. For the first time they had quantifiable data they could discuss."
2012年的一場法網表演賽上，專業運動員們獲得機會試用新的電子球拍。據埃裏克o百保力表示，當納達爾和他的教練安東尼奧o納達爾（託尼）拿到這款新球拍時，他們表現得就像小孩子一樣。託尼對他侄子開玩笑說，現在他可以知道他發球到底有多差了。拉菲爾o納達爾則回答說，他要讓他叔叔看看他的擊球多麼有力。埃裏克o百保力說：“他們總是在尋找任何能提高成績的細節。運動員可以感覺到一些東西，而教練能看到其它一些東西。Play球拍讓他們第一次有了可以研究的量化數據。”Before the demonstration began, a 14-year-old ball boy went up to Babolat and told him excitedly that the racquet combined his two favorite activities, tennis and video games. "It confirmed that we were on the right track, especially with young people," Babolat says. "This is not just an old sport, people wearing white at Wimbledon. Tennis is cool."
表演賽開始之前，一名14歲的球童走過來，高興地對埃裏克o百保力說，這款球融合了他最喜歡的兩個活動——網球和電腦遊戲。埃裏克說：“這再次讓我確信，我們走在正確的道路上，尤其是對於年輕人來說。網球不僅僅是一項古老的運動——比如大家傳統上都要穿着白色的球衣參加溫布爾登公開賽。網球還很酷。”（財富中文網）
