Hey guys, I manage to purchase one whilst out in HK for vacation. The device itself is very easy to set up and configure. It's also great to know that there is also a English version to the app. The 8g of additional weight is noticeable when placed below the grip. Whether it affected the gameplay, that'll be a subject of your own opinions. Apart from collecting data for personal use, it can be shared within the online community which is great to see and help setting targets for yourself. It would be great to have seen this app available on the tablet too... Here are some screenshots of the data it collected from a session I played in:
I had mine last week. I am not too sure if the speed calculated are accurate but it can identify the style of your play. For me, it's not bad to find your own style of play and try to learn out of it. Currently i found a little bit of problem that since it is charge by USB, it seems like the battery of the sensor don't last. I had sent email to the supplier to see if they had this kind of problem and how to resolve it.
Thought I give a more in depth analysis to the device. Don't shoot the messenger as it's just my opinion and what I found out about it from using it. ==================================== USENSE is a motion sensor for badminton, which allows you to record your strokes and view it on your smartphone. Within the box you get the USENSE motion device (weighing at 8 grams), 2 rubber sleeves and 2 plastic clips with adhesive tape to stick at the end of the racket handle and a Mini USB to USB cable. The motion device comes in 5 other colours, so make sure you ask your seller if you want a specific colour. Usability Installation There are two methods of installing the device to the handle; a rubber sleeve or a plastic clip with adhesive tape. Both are very easy to use but the rubber sleeve proves to be the most effective as the adhesive tape can wear out over time and be somewhat annoying if you plan on using the racket without the device. Software The app comes in two versions; English or Chinese. These are available for Android and iOS but the English version has limited features compared to the Chinese. Performance 8 grams may not sound like a lot in terms of weight but it does make the racket feel different. The head heavy rackets would become even balanced, whilst the even balanced becomes head light. This could potentially affect your strokes depending on how sensitive you are to your rackets. I play with a Cab 20 and the balance point of my racket significantly moved closer to the handle making it feel a bit like a light headed racket. This made my strokes feel quicker and lighter to what I’m normally use to. Reliability Hardware For a small device, I assumed that the battery life would be considerably long - around the 6 hours mark but at best I managed to get 3 hours out of it. At first I thought it was a product fault but it got me thinking that it might actually be the number of times I do a data transfer after each games I play which the bluetooth is probably draining it. Software The app is able to record the number of times you played in a session. It captures the following: duration, maximum racket speed, number of racket swing (over and under) and the calories burned. With the second and third information, the app can display them in two forms of charts which helps identify what your game play is which is great to know if you are playing in matches but not for training purposes. In order to record each of your games as accurate as possible you need to have your racket place in a stationary position after playing which is quite annoying as it could potentially turn the device off itself. On the Chinese version there is a training section called ‘exercise' that allows you practice your strokes. Not only does it record your swing speed, counts and duration, it can also animate your swing allowing you to see the break down of your strokes using heat maps Verdict I spent a whole month of August using this device. To have the ability to understand what is happening in your games is quite handy as it’s like having a someone at your corner analyzing your game. However the weight of the device is a bit of an issue as it changes the feel of the racket which could affect your timing of the shot. Personally, the device didn’t serve any purpose to me when it comes to training as I couldn’t see any improvements with my shots. Although there is an ‘exercise’ feature in the Chinese app, I think this is more beneficial for beginners where they have a coach teaching them at the same time whilst using it to review and correct their stroke.
Thanks for a detailed review, this really helps me. I was going to buy this but I think I will pass. I was skeptical with the 8g weight also. Kindest regards, -Ajay- Quote of the Day The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.
Can you post some of your own pictures up on the device?? Especially with it on that cab20 of yours..hehe
In the end it's a nice gimmick towards the sport. 8g doesn't sound much but for badminton it's a lot! I tried using a 2g sticker at the head of my racket before and even that was noticeable. If they can find a way to reduce the weight that would be great.
I have finally got my hands onto the sensor finally. I am not going to do a full test report here, just my one week experience so far. What I am going to list here are some of issues with the practical usage. 1. I have attached the rubber holder to my ArcZ Slash with the sensor, it certainly adds quite a bit of weight towards the bottom end of the racket, it took me at least 15mins to get use to the 'dampened' feel of the attachment. 2. When I attached the more rigid plastic holder to another racket with the 3M double sided adhesive pads provided, the sensor together with the holder flew off with ten shots. The tape itself is just not secure enough. 3. When the sensor gets into sleeping mode, you need to shake it quite violently in order to wake it up again. 4. You most likely will need a fresh charge just before you play, somehow my sensor does not hold the charge that well, maybe it is not completely asleep when it is on standby? 5. The app (up till the date of my writing here) does not have setting for single or double play, and I mainly play in doubles, therefore the analysis of my play is always SLOW, as it counts the intervals of each shot that I do. These are some of the issues that I have experienced so far, I hope that they can improve on these aspects in the future.
I have the of verion of this app which is quite usefull you need a lot of knowledge to understand the data. It also has a nice all angles 3d image of your swing. But it is now common for golf teachers to have some type of technology in giving their lessons, the future i think. The professionals use this to tweek their techniques for optimal performance.
I scan their QRCode and took me to their free app but couldnt detact my andriod device to download. Strange. Anyone can give me a helping hand here is much appreciated.
