Motion Capture

Motion capture is a futuristic-looking suit of lights, similar to the technology that video game makers use to record Tiger Woods hitting a golf ball or NBA star and USBC spokesperson Chris Paul shooting a jump shot to make their game characters look realistic.

The USBC motion capture system is sophisticated biomechanics technology. Patented by USBC, this futuristic-looking system is the first of its kind in the sport of bowling and will be available in the new USBC International Training and Research Center where it will be used to identify and correct problems your technique in a more comprehensive manner.

Motion capture measures body positioning and movement more precisely than standard video analysis programs. For example, it can track your body positions (such as during your back swing) to 0.001 of an inch, speed and acceleration (such as ball speed or the sliding knee moving forward) to 0.02 mph and timing (relationship between the arm swing and footsteps) to 0.001 of a second.

The system works like this: Between 40 and 70 small sensors are attached to your clothing and six cameras positioned on adjoining approaches and lanes that detect the red light reflected from the sensors. Your movements through the approach and delivery are tracked via the sensors and the data is transmitted to a computer system, and your image appears on the computer screen as a moving, digital data figure that can be shown in slow motion, used with video or viewed from different angles.