XOS SportMotion heads to spring training

By Andrew Lippe

SVG Assistant Editor

Last year XOS Technologies introduced XOS SportMotion, a motion capture and analysis technology platform designed for MLB teams to protect their players from injury and offer a way for coaches to analyze and develop their players. XOS SportMotion uses the same motion-capture technology used in videogames, (a passive marker suit) where players wear suits with small reflective dots that are tracked by computers that are hooked up to cameras to render 3D models of the moving player. SVG takes a look a year later at the development of this revolutionary product that is currently in use in MLB spring training facilities.

Rick Lewis, SportMotion Product Marketing Manager, says feedback after year one has been positive as it helps improve communication between the players and coaches. If a pitcher’s elbow moves from Point A to Point B SportMotion can tell the user how far, how fast, what angle, and where it was in the 3D space, says Rick. It is not only rendering them into a 3D animation of who they are physically and anatomically but it is tracking everything that they are doing as an athlete.

There are three components to the system. First is the PlayAction Simulator VR which allows physical immersion with in a virtual training program of the athlete. Another component of the technology is called Skills 360 a program developed for baseball, football and golf teams. It is designed for athletes to learn and master complex techniques such as throwing and kicking.

The Sport Motion studio is a customized priced environment that enables coaches to diagnose pitching problems and batting slumps (ex. a player batting .400 now hitting .200) by really analyzing the biomechanics of a player. When a player struggles they say it is all in his mind but to an extent something has gone wrong with his mechanics. Now this system allows you to diagnose what has changed in his mechanics, says Lewis.

Currently XOS takes all the data and puts them in summary sheets so you can see the tendencies right away. We have worked on making it a red flag system for injury prevention in sports medicine, says Lewis. The SportMotion component referred to as A.R.T (Assessment. Rehabilitation. Training) is used by the conditioning coaches, team doctors and trainers to access the athletes physical condition.

While the focus today is on professional athletes XOS plans on eventually expanding to younger levels. It s a big leap but we feel we can touch those scholastic-aged athletes, adds Lewis. Many learned behaviors and bad movement patterns are acquired when athletes are younger and, as a result, bad behaviors lead to injury.