Reports on Monday have revealed the NFL is placing sensors within footballs during pre-season games.
The coin-sized sensors, placed underneath the laces of Wilson-made footballs, track the throwing speeds as well as the distance and acceleration of the ball or the person holding it.
New England Patriots fans might be pleased to learn they’re not tracking the air pressure in footballs, following the Deflategate shenanigans of the last few years.
Recode reports the sensors can transmit the captured data back to monitors in the stadium in around half a second.
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Right now the NFL is experimenting with the sensors during pre-season games and is yet to decide whether they’ll be used during the regular season, which begin on September 8.
The ball is different to X Connected football recently unveiled by Wilson.
Used as a training device, this smart ball features a sensor that tracks speed and distance of the throw, as well as the spiral rate and spiral efficiency.
The $200 ball which begins shipping in September features Bluetooth connectivity, which sends all of the data back to a smartphone app.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
