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Which method is more likely to cultivate the next Shohei Ohtani: using Ohtani's physical data while he was swinging as the foundational training, or listening to Ohtani describe his swinging technique?
In the era of big data, the probability of the former may be higher, which is also the concept behind the new startup's product, the b4-app from the Keep Tossing Lab. This app utilizes smartphone technology to automatically analyze and record data such as launch angle, swing path, and more, serving as a basis for players' subsequent training.
However, this seemingly logical idea actually stems from the training method of 'learning directly from the horse's mouth’.
"When I entered the dormitory as a freshman, I spotted a Red Sox cap right away. I also have one, so it felt like fate," said Chung Chun Kuan, co-founder and CEO of the Keep Tossing Lab, with a smile. He recounted that he and Yi Cheng Tsao (co-founder and product manager of the Keep Tossing Lab) were classmates in the mechanical engineering program at National Cheng Kung University. They not only shared the same dorm room but also shared a passion for baseball, instantly becoming close friends who were more inclined towards practicing baseball than hitting the books.
However, while training with the department's baseball team, they began to notice something amiss: senior players with outstanding swinging performances would come to guide juniors in their movements. Yet, what they explained often didn't align with what they demonstrated. They found themselves unsure whether to trust the seniors' verbal instructions or the physical demonstrations they provided.
"We studied mechanical engineering, which emphasizes accuracy and an experimental spirit, but when it came to playing baseball, it was a different story," said Yi Cheng Tsao. "At that time, practicing baseball was more about knowing the 'what' than understanding the 'why'. We didn't comprehend the rationale behind the training methods or the underlying logic. Instead, we simply followed the traditional way passed down by our seniors and swung the bat repeatedly.
In 2018, a reunion in Boston after their graduation served as the catalyst for their entrepreneurial journey. At that time, Garmin introduced the Impact bat swing sensor. As both of them were passionate about baseball, they tested this device on the baseball field and noticed that children around them were also using it. 'We thought we were the edgy ones, only to realize that it's the norm in the US; even children are training with scientific methods,' Yi Cheng Tsao recalled, connecting that impactful experience with their university memories, which marked the beginning of their entrepreneurship.
Chung Chun Kuan and Yi Cheng Tsao acknowledged that revolutionizing training methods from the grassroots level is imperative in the current Taiwanese baseball environment. Hence, in 2019, they embarked on entrepreneurship with the concept of curriculum and community services, aiming to reintroduce overseas scientific training methods to Taiwan. However, they encountered obstacles at every turn.
Setting aside from the cost of training equipment, the specifications of venues and the capacity of services posed significant challenges for the duo. Firstly, the scarcity of venues and the complexity of the rental process proved to be daunting. Secondly, solely relying on the two of them to conduct classes made it difficult to achieve a widespread impact. Consequently, the Keep Tossing Lab gradually shifted its focus towards developing training products.
"At that time, most of the training equipment available on the market involved attachments and wearables," said Yi Cheng Tsao. "However, we didn't believe it was the optimal solution.” When objects are attached to bodies or bats, they introduce weight that shifts the center of gravity. This alteration in the center of gravity deviates performance from the actual situation. Therefore, Keep Tossing Lab decided to explore a new approach.
Timing is everything. Around 2020, Major League Baseball announced its intention to utilize technologies such as Hawk-Eye for decision-making. Concurrently, the camera functionality of iPhones was advancing significantly. Considering the emerging trend of computer vision, why not develop a novel sports science product directly on smartphones? “This is what we call standing on the shoulders of giants.” chuckled Chung Chun Kuan.
The current app of the Keep Tossing Lab displays information such as ball speed, bat trajectory, skeleton trajectory, stride distance, and more. However, the core data captured by Keep Tossing Lab consists of raw data from 33 joint nodes. What does this mean? Explaining, Yi Cheng Tsao elaborated that the factors influencing successful hitting include pitching trajectory, defensive performance, and batting swing motion. Hitters are most concerned with their batting motion, and the bat is controlled by the hands, waist, shoulders, legs, and other body parts. Therefore, the computer vision system of the Keep Tossing Lab primarily captures raw data from body, bat, and ball-related movements.
"In simple terms, we provide objective data on high-speed images, hitting results, and body movement status simultaneously, allowing players and coaches to scientifically and efficiently find the hitting style and training menu that truly suits them," said Chung Chun Kuan. Keep Tossing Lab does not seek to replace coaches but rather to enable coaches and players to identify the most suitable training menu through this system. "We want to foster a thriving ecosystem, not create adversaries," he added.
On the other hand, computer vision analysis has also enabled Keep Tossing Lab to create two additional advantages: the integration of algorithms and low-threshold hardware equipment. Integrating multiple sets of algorithms incorporating machine learning, computer vision, and edge computing into a smartphone for computation inherently poses a technological barrier. Moreover, most sports technology devices on the market primarily monitor single categories such as bat swing or ball speed. In other words, if alternative solutions were adopted for analyzing batting movements, it might require the cost of several sets of hardware.
However, breaking into professional teams as a startup is a considerable challenge at present. Therefore, the market strategy of Keep Tossing Lab initially targets grassroots users, namely, self-training school-age children and school team students. Currently, the approach involves offering free downloads and a daily limit of 10 free tests. For unlimited usage, users can opt for a monthly fee of $14.99 USD. The market deployment encompasses Taiwan and the baseball prevalent regions of North America.
"I think it's very important to think from an outsider's perspective and have the execution power of experts," said Chung Chun Kuan. He expressed that while competitors mainly target aspiring professional baseball players, Keep Tossing Lab aims to popularize sports technology for all baseball enthusiasts. The network established through their initial community service endeavor has now become a vital source for updating product features. This not only facilitates professional players in utilizing technology more conveniently in their daily training but also addresses the needs of amateur users. Additionally, there are plans to incorporate pitching motion analysis functionality in the future."
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