Abstract: A digit-mounted, spring-assisted device for launching a projectile in response to a launching motion of a finger by a user. The digit-mounted device may comprise a securing means for securing a launcher to the digit of the user. The securing means may comprise a strap, loop, or cinch. The digit-mounted device may further comprise a launch guide extending outwardly from a base member. A projectile may be mounted onto or into the launch guide. A spring may be mounted on the digit-mounted device which is placed under tension when the user prepares to make a launching motion with the digit. The projectile is launched in response to the user making a launching motion with the digit, using the thumb as a tensioning means. The spring is released from tension upon making a launching motion with the digit, adding to the force given to the projectile upon launch. The projectile may take a wide variety of forms.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the precise location of a target on a surface by utilizing a plurality of objects that are fixed in their position proximate to the location, thereby constituting a plurality of fixed reference points, upon which the target(s) resides or is otherwise located. The plurality of fixed references points are used either in conjunction with images of the target or certain distance measurements between the target and the fixed reference points to determine the precise location of the target(s) on the surface.

Abstract: A ball bat includes a barrel portion, a handle portion, and a joint connecting the handle portion to the barrel portion. In some embodiments, the joint includes a releasable connector configured to releasably connect the barrel portion to the handle portion. In some embodiments, the joint includes two releasable connectors to releasably connect the barrel portion to the handle portion. The ball bat may include a flexible rod element positioned between the two releasable connectors. The rod element may include an elastomeric material. In some embodiments, the ball bat may further include a safety connector between the barrel portion and the handle portion or a releasable connector may include a threaded connection to resist release of the releasable connector. In some embodiments, the joint may include a rotatable element for adjusting flex.

Abstract: A table game system is provided capable of identifying shuffled playing cards used at the time of the occurrence of a problem in a card shoe apparatus, thereby enabling an investigation of the cause thereof or the taking of countermeasures therefor. A card shoe apparatus of the table game system of the present invention includes a barcode reader and RFID that reads a barcode or RFID provided in a shuffled playing card set, thereby reading a shuffled card ID that uniquely identifies the shuffled playing card set. The control unit has further a function of identifying an exposition of the cut card by the card reading unit and memorizing this information as that the shuffled playing card set now being used will have or be changed to the new one. The information of the exposition of the cut card is at least used for identifying an end of the current game using the shuffled playing cards set is currently set in the card shoe apparatus.

Abstract: A tennis ball retriever for retrieving a tennis ball on and about a tennis court and for controllably releasing the ball includes a front-end ball collector having two spaced-apart blades defining a ball collection space. The retriever includes one or more detents for retaining the collected ball in the collection space until a programmed or manually-directed release toward a target location such as a tennis baseline. The retriever includes a processor-controller for controlling and directing the retriever during a retrieval session. The retriever may be remote-controlled such as by voice commands.

Abstract: An automatic ball launcher includes a ball feed control system that includes a meter wheel with radially-spaced ribs or grooves to selectively block and pass balls to the flywheels of the launcher. The meter wheel rotates to selectively block and release a single ball to pass at a time. The controller of the launcher can be programmed to stop the meter wheel when a ball has been metered by monitoring the current at peak of the motor driving the meter wheel. A meter-event can be determined to have occurred when the current of the drive motor drops to a trough by a pre-set magnitude following a rise to a peak value. A remote control can be provided for the user to operate the launching machine and adjust a plurality of parameters.

Abstract: Detectors and related systems and methods for automatically detecting made and missed basketball shots using ultrasonics are provided. A launcher is connected to a structural subassembly and passes basketballs to locations about a basketball playing area having a basketball goal. A detector having at least one ultrasonic sensor is selectively positioned below and adjacent to a rim of the basketball goal and transmits bursts of ultrasonic signals. A processor monitors for reflections of the transmitted bursts occurring within a specified time period after transmission excluding an initial time period and time after the specified time period, and records a made shot where reflections of the transmitted bursts are detected within the specified time period. An accelerometer may optionally be included for determining if the made shot was a swish.

Abstract: A golf club head including a face element having a face surface, a rear surface, and a reinforcement device with a reinforcement element that extends out from the rear surface of the face element toward a rear end and away from a front end of a golf club head. The reinforcement element includes a looped rib having an outer perimeter surface and an inner perimeter surface. The face surface is nearer to the rear surface proximal to the face center than proximal to the face perimeter. The outer perimeter surface of the reinforcement element is filleted with the rear surface.

Abstract: A substrate is mountable on a lacrosse stick head to form a pocket. The head has a throat attached to a shaft, a ball stop attached to the throat, a scoop distal to the throat, and sidewalls extending between the ball stop and the scoop. The substrate includes a top portion and a bottom portion. The top portion is positioned proximate to the scoop and the bottom portion is positioned between the top and the ball stop. The top and bottom portions include yarn knit to form the substrate. A method of making the substrate includes casting the yarn onto a needle, knitting the top and bottom portions, casting the yarn off the needle, tying off the yarn and attaching the substrate to the head.

Abstract: Some embodiments include club heads having reinforced club head faces. In one example, the club face comprises a reinforcement element such as a looped rib positioned on a rear surface of the club face to provide reinforcement. The club head further comprises an undercut that extends along the entire perimeter of the club face to provide increased club face bending. The combination of the reinforcement element and the undercut reinforces the club head while permitting the club face to bend. Other embodiments of related club heads and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of operating an electronic basketball scoreboard apparatus is disclosed. The method includes receiving a game parameter; operating a basketball game based upon the received game parameter; receiving a first indication of a ball passing through a first basketball hoop; receiving a second indication of a ball passing through a second basketball hoop; determining a first score of the basketball game based on the first indication from the first score sensor; determining a second score of the basketball game based on the second indication from the second score sensor; recording video of the basketball game; transmitting the recorded video; and transmitting the first score and the second score.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of a golf training system. In one non-limiting example, a system includes a feedback device, a sensor, and a computing device. The computing device is configured to at least receive sensor data from the sensor during the golf swing of the user and identify a plurality of body movements in which each respective body movement corresponds to a stage of a golf swing sequence based at least in part on the sensor data. The computing device can also be configured to activate a plurality of feedback indicators according to the golf swing sequence for feedback to the user during the golf swing.

Abstract: A golf club has a first shaft coupled to a club head, a second shaft configured to slidably engage a portion of the first shaft, a grip coupled to the second shaft, and an adjustable length shaft assembly received by the second shaft and configured to allow a portion of the first shaft to slide in relation to the second shaft in a first configuration, and to restrict a portion of the first shaft from sliding in relation to the second shaft in a second configuration. The grip is restricted from rotation about the first shaft or the second shaft as the first shaft slides in relation to the second shaft.

Abstract: A system and method for estimating a caloric expenditure by a user for a workout. A system includes one or more wearable sensors configured to be worn by the user, each sensing biometric data and/or performance data about the user during the workout. A mobile computing device includes a memory that stores a user profile for the user and a metabolic equivalent of tasks (METs) table, and one or more communication inputs for receiving the biometric data from the one or more wearable sensors. A computer processor associated with the mobile computing device is configured by an application to calculate the caloric expenditure by the user for the workout according to one or more fields of the METs table and the user profile, and based on the workout defined by the application.

Abstract: A tennis ball retriever for retrieving a tennis ball on and about a tennis court and for controllably releasing the ball includes a front-end ball collector having two spaced-apart blades defining a ball collection space. The retriever includes a means for gripping and securing a ball positioned at the fore end, and one or more detents for retaining the collected ball in the collection space until a programmed or manually-directed release toward a target location such as a tennis baseline. The retriever includes a processor-controller for controlling and directing the retriever during a retrieval session. The retriever may be remote-controlled such as by voice commands.

Abstract: Disclosed is an interactive projectile game system that collects projectiles launched by a user toward a target and that returns the launched projectiles to the user. The system includes an actuator, a launcher assembly, a projectile, one or more targets, and a projectile collection system proximal to the targets. A user selects the actuator to activate the launcher assembly to propel the projectile to the user. The user receives or retrieves the projectile and propels the projectile toward the targets in an effort to score points by striking a target. The projectile collection system receives the projectile after being launched by the user, and the projectile collection system transfers the projectile back to the launcher assembly.

Abstract: A hockey puck is formed as two mating subcomponents encapsulating an internal signal transmitter. The hockey puck includes holes extending from an external surface of the hockey puck into an internal void formed between the two mating subcomponents. The internal signal transmitter includes protrusions extending into the holes, each including a surface-mounted diode. The surface-mounted diodes include no lens cap, allowing the diodes to be positioned closer to the external surface of the puck than existing pucks. For improved visibility, the diode is positioned less than 5 mm from the external surface of the puck, but greater than 1 mm from the external surface of the puck, in order to prevent the diodes from being externally visible. Preferably, the diodes are positioned between approximately 2 mm and approximately 3 mm from the external surface of the hockey puck.

Abstract: A fusible toy bead includes a plurality of protrusions and a plurality of recesses.

Abstract: Posture training systems provide hands-free shoulder and back\spine alignment assistance for facilitating correct posture and alignment of the shoulders and spine of an athlete throughout swing or other physical rotational movements, and methods of their use. The posture training systems include vests that provide information during and throughout the rotational movement about spine-tilt angle relative to the ground, plane of the shoulders during torso rotation, perpendicularity between the spine and a line drawn between the shoulders, as well as departures from or maintenance of any of the initial parameters.

Abstract: A scoring method executed by a processor, includes: acquiring sensor data obtained by measuring a competitor in a scoring competition; extracting joint information of the competitor, based on an analysis result of the sensor data; acquiring an evaluation item and an evaluation index that correspond to the joint information of the competitor, based on a rule in which a posture specified by a series of joint motions and joint angles, the evaluation item, and the evaluation index for performance evaluation are associated with each other; and evaluating a success or failure of a skill and a degree of perfection of the skill in a performance of the competitor, based on the analysis result, the evaluation item, and the evaluation index.