Golf Swing Analysis

Team Name

GSA Team

Timeline

Fall 2020 – Spring 2021

Students

  • Devin Brown
  • Christian Marks
  • Suresh Mainali
  • Athraa Alhusseini

Sponsor

Dr. Chris Conly

Dr. David Wetz

Dr. Gregory Turner

Abstract

The Golf Swing Analysis platform is a self-contained golf swing analysis platform that allows users to visualize important information about their golf swing. Swing data is gathered through an inertial measurement unit, processed by a local embedded system, and displayed through an intuitive graphical user interface. The information displayed by Golf Swing Analysis platform adds a new dimension to golf training by allowing golfers to quickly view swing analytics without the need for internet connectivity.

Background

Fine tuning a golfer’s swing is a complex task that typically requires human coaching and/or prohibitively expensive equipment. The complex dynamics that take place during a golf swing create a system where small changes on the part of the golfer can translate to large changes in the efficacy of the swing overall. These small changes in the swing can be almost impossible to feel without some sort of outside assistance. The goal of our platform is to add another tool to the golfer’s arsenal that allows them to visualize and correct these errors in their swing.

The approach this system takes is to enable golfers to get feedback from the system quickly to allow them to make small incremental changes to their swing. These small changes will compound over time and lead to a more efficient and accurate swing. The system is operable by one person, which allows the golfer to practice at their own pace at the time of their choosing. This freedom releases golfers from the necessity of having a coach/trainer present for the train.

Project Requirements

  1. The user must be able view a swing trajectory graph in the GUI.
  2. The user must be able to view statistics about their swing such as maximum acceleration and maximum club head speed.
  3. The user must be able to change the orientation of the swing trajectory graph in an intuitive manner.
  4. Upon the user’s press of the swing start button, the platform must immediately begin recording information about the user’s swing.
  5. The 3D graphing utility must be efficient enough to run smoothly on the platform while zooming, scrolling, and otherwise manipulating the display.
  6. The system should have a bright but readable interface with clearly defined interactive features.
  7. The system should track not only the forward swing of the golfer’s club, but also the back-swing and follow-through.
  8. The system will analyze the golf swing sensor data and display desired info within 2 seconds of the end of the swing.
  9. The platform must take less than 1 minute to complete set up and calibration for each session.
  10. The software should have a consistent interface throughout the entirety of the application. Related data and visualizations should have the same colors.

System Overview

The Overall system is broken into 3 primary subsystems; the Swing Layer, the Platform Layer, and the Controller Layer.

The Swing Layer is responsible for tracking the golfers swing and communicating the data from the swing to the main computer. The Swing Layer has two main sub-units, which are the BNO055 which is the 9-dof IMU from which we derive the golfers swing path, and the Arduino Nano BLE which is the microcontroller for the subsystem and is responsible for transmitting the swing data to the main computer via Bluetooth.

The Platform Layer refers to the platform that the golfer actually stands on which has a button that the golfer must press to indicate that the Club Swing Analyzer should begin its recording for the set duration. The button is a simple mechanical LED lit button connected to an Arduino Nano which acts as an intermediary listener between the button and the main computer.

The Controller Layer is the responsible for taking inputs from the other subsystems and outputting the Graphical User Interface. The Controller Layer is primarily software oriented but is run on an NVIDIA Jetson TX2, which is housed in the Ball Dispenser of the platform and handles all of the communication aspects of the system. The GUI allows the user to make inputs about the type of club they are using, calibrate the Club Swing Analyzer, and see visual output of their swing to allow them the opportunity to observe and improve their swing.

Results

While our team faced several issues over the course of the project, such as unreliable equipment and project scope changes beyond our control, we were able to successfully create an IMU-based swing trajectory sensor, and develop a graphical user interface to display various information about a user’s golf swing.

The golf swing analyzer successfully and accurately tracks the orientation of a golf club throughout a golfer’s swing and displays it in an intuitive manner to the user for review. The platform also analyzes this swing data to calculate pertinent statistics about the swing such as maximum velocity and acceleration.

Future Work

A possible next step in this project would be to implement a Bluetooth-based sensor to allow the golfer to swing unhindered during training. During our collaboration with the electrical engineering team, it became clear that some of the other planned systems such as ball tracking with computer vision and weight tracking through load cells were not feasible given our situation and time constraints. These systems could more easily be implemented given that the base functionality of the platform has been achieved.

Project Files

Project Charter (link)

System Requirements Specification (link)

Architectural Design Specification (link)

Detailed Design Specification (link)

Poster (link)

Video (link)

GitHub (link)

CAD Files (link)

LaTeX Files (link)

References

[1] Tony Covey. FIRST LOOK: FORESIGHT GCQUAD LAUNCH MONITOR. 2017.
[2] Josh. SwingTalk Swing Analyzer by Golfzon (review). 2015.
[3] Sean Ogle. Blast Motion Golf Review: A Ton of Tech in a Tiny Package. 2019.
[4] Sean Ogle. Swing Caddie SC200 Launch Monitor Review: Worth $300? 2020.
[5] unknown. Swing Catalyst: The Complete Swing Analyst System. 2013.

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