R&D Focus
GolfHow Helps You Play Golf Smarter, and Better
Golf is a sport that requires skillful musculoskeletal movements, and thus mastering the coordination can be quite challenging. To help beginners play smarter and better, ITRI has developed the AI-based golf training system GolfHow, making golf practice more accessible and efficient.
ITRI developed GolfHow to enhance golfers’ practice experience.
GolfHow utilizes AI recognition and motion analysis algorithms to analyze a golfer’s swing posture and offer personalized feedback and recommendations. Compared to a conventional golf simulator, GolfHow is advantageous in flexibility, costs, and its analytic performance.
The system can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection and a mobile device. Users can simply install the App on a smartphone, set it up in a 2 ft2 space, and have their swings filmed and analyzed by GolfHow. There is neither need for expensive specialized equipment nor a large dedicated place.
GolfHow can automatically break down the swing into the phases of set up, back swing, top swing, down swing, impact, and follow through, and process posture analysis for each stage. The algorithm provides detailed advice for each phase, which allows beginners to check on their postures repeatedly and adjust them accordingly. The system also scores swings. Statistical results help learners assess their learning performance and set goals.
GolfHow analyzes the swing posture and offers adjustment instructions with visual aids and voice notification.
Besides recognizing human body nodes via deep learning, GolfHow can detect golf clubs with high precision. Thanks to its patented algorithm that integrates clubhead recognition with 2D-skeleton tracking, GolfHow offers users a comprehensive understanding of the interaction between their body and the club, which is conducive to refining their swing.
“GolfHow removes the constraints of practicing golf, offering golf beginners an efficient and convenient learning experience. With this smart training system, golfers can receive instant feedback on their swings without the need for a coach to be present. This can significantly save training time and costs,” said ITRI’s Division Director William Huang.
In addition to self-training, GolfHow can also be used as a powerful coaching aid. With the insights from learners’ swing clips and the AI-assisted instructions, coaches can provide further comments and guidance for improvement using the built-in audio and drawing tools. Instructors can even customize swing standards to rate different learners, as well as view their practice history and adjust coaching plans based on the progress. A golf instructor at Stanford University and several golf learning centers in Taiwan have applied GolfHow to their remote coaching lessons, citing improved teaching efficiency and learning results.
Coaches can give advice with the built-in audio and drawing tools.
ITRI plans to launch GolfHow on the app store in the second quarter of 2023. In addition, plans have been made to collaborate with academies to organize campaigns that aim to expand the user base.