Measurement and analysis of bowling swing motion using 3D acceleration and gyro sensors

Hitting the bowling pins exactly right to knock them down depends on the speed and direction of the bowling ball, which can be controlled by the proper swing form. If bowlers could check their swing form and identify their weak points, they would be able to improve their game. This paper describes the measurement and analysis of bowling form motion with the objective of identifying the features of the correct swing form. The measurement system is based on the use of 3D acceleration and gyro sensors with a wide dynamic range. The system is small and wireless so as not to constrain the subject´s movements. We fixed it to the back of the subject´s hand and his waist. The swing form and the actual speed of the swing were confirmed using a high-speed camera. We measured the swing form of an expert bowler and extracted information on the acceleration and angular velocity. Distinguishing features of the correct swing form were found by comparing the expert bowler with a novice bowler. The results showed the potential for quantitatively evaluating bowling skills.