Sensors put new spin on cricket ball

A GOLD Coast company has received $100,000 in State Government funding to develop a state-of-the-art cricket ball that measures speed and spin in time for Christmas.

Jetson Industries is one of 70 companies set to receive a share of $8.3 million in grants as part of the State Government’s latest round of Ignite Ideas initiative innovation funding. The Jetson smart balls use tiny electronic sensors built into the ball to record movement data such as ball speed, bounce, spin, distance, location and more. The data can be shared immediately with players, coaches and fans.

Jetson Industries managing director Ben Tattersfield said the company had signed a multi-year distribution deal with a world leading sports retail brand and has a patent for the device pending in more than a dozen countries.

“The great part about this technology is that it works in other sports as well,” he said.

Mr Tattersfield said the company was also in discussions with a leading golf brand.

“The US Olympic Committee has shown interest and we recently completed a roadshow in India where hockey is looking like a great opportunity,” he said.