Fujitsu has announced the development of a new technology that can sense the body movements of someone holding a sensor-equipped mobile phone (i.e. iPhone). The first use of the technology is in an application called “ETGA Swing Lesson.” ETGA will analyze your golf swing and provide feedback from Tadashi Ezure (apparently some Japanese golf professional who runs the Ezure Tadashi Golf Academy – ETGA).
On the one hand, this actually sounds pretty cool. As the user swings the phone, motion data is collected and analyzed along 16 points of the swing. That data is then compared against ETGA’s swing principles. The application will then be able to upload the data to the Internet, and Fujitsu has plans to partner with Golf Digest Online to provide a “golf swing check site.”
However, I have to say I’m only mildly impressed. First off, my experience with golf phone apps hasn’t been good. Secondly, what the hell is swinging a cell phone going to for me (other than make me look like an idiot)? Just like David Leadbetter’s Nintendo Wii game, I fail to see how swinging something lighter and differently shaped than a golf club is going to improve anything.
I’m sure that Mr. Ezure’s advice will be beneficial, but you could package instructional videos in to a mobile phone app and achieve the same result. I’m sure some people will buy it – hell, I might even buy it just to have something to write about! But ultimately, while motion-sensing technology is really cool, I predict this application will be a huge bust.