Qoncept is a Tokyo-based startup specializing in image processing and visual tracking technologies for sports. Our proprietary technologies, including those that use machine learning, as well as 3D position and posture estimation technology, are used in various international athletic competitions to provide measurements.
On December 15, with the release of the App Store Foundations Program, Qoncept was introduced as a representative of Japanese developers working on the App Store. Tim Cook, Apple CEO, enjoyed playing a putter with Golfboy
Baseboy, a tracking system for baseball, was used for the live broadcast of the Samurai Japan vs. the Yomiuri Giants baseball game on November 6, 2022. Baseboy measures the 3D trajectory of pitches and hits in realtime from two cameras installed in the stadium.
Golfboy LIVE was used for the PGA TOUR ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP held at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club (Chiba, Japan) from Oct. 13th to 16th. This was the first time that the GolfboyLIVE tracking system was used in an international broadcast of a PGA TOUR tournament.
Our compact and high cost performing tracking technology has been adopted by both pro and amateur players in various competitions including Golf PGA TOUR and ISU Grand Prix Series.
Sport events per year
Active Users per month
Downloads
We provide products for both pro and amateur players, used for team analysis, broadcasting, arena facilities, etc. including the following sports:
Golf / Baseball / Volleyball / Tennis / Table Tennis
"Golfboy" is a golf practice app for amateur golfers, developed to make golf practice easy and fun for everyone by utilizing computer vision technology and smartphone cameras.
For the low price of $10/month, Golfboy offers a variety of functions that golfers can use to practice, including
GolfboyLIVE is a ball tracking system built for broadcasting uses. The system automatically detects the ball on the green from the live input image, and renders the CG trajectory over the image.
The various features in the system aims to output maximum effects with minimum operation cost which is crucial for broadcasting production scenes.
Baseboy is a image processing based real-time pitching/batting tracking technology. Each of the 2 fixed cameras placed in the stadium detects the ball coordinate inside the camera image, and the system then restores this into a 3 dimensional trajectory. Compared to conventional speed guns or expensive radar systems, Baseboy can provide high accurate and low cost data. Baseboy is now used in live broadcasting, analysis inside pro and amateur baseball teams, and also an alternative to conventional speed guns.
In order to realize 3 dimensional tracking, the shutter timing must be synchronized among the 2 cameras. Baseboy has its most advantage where it does not require this synchronization, moreover, even the framerate among the 2 cameras do not need to match. Baseboy's pitching and batting tracking system is realized by such patented technologies (Patent No.6697150, 6579727, 6412998).
Official Games in Japan Professional Baseball, Japan Series, Climax Series, Mynavi All-Star Game, Premier12, WBC, WBSC
ice:stats is an image processing technology developed to measure the performance for figure skate broadcasting. Stats such as "height", "distance", and "landing speed" is measured in semi-real-time for jump elements using the 4K camera placed in the arena. The measured data is shown in the arena vision and also on air during the Kiss and Cry after the performance. Spectators and viewers were only able to imagine each skaters' jump features, but with ice:stats, it is now possible to understand the condition of their jumps in a more objective way.
ice:stats also provides a feature to track the skater's performance and render its trajectory as a replay. This enables to visualize how much the skater has covered the entire rink during the performance.
ISU Grand Prix Final / Four Continents Figure Skating Championships / World Figure Skating Championships / All Japan Figure Skating Championships
By placing multiple fixed cameras inside the arena, this tracking system can be used to collect various data during training and competitions. The system collects not only ball and player positions, but it can also detect play events such as serves, spikes, along with its velocity and height. The data is automatically tagged so that team analysts and coaches can give quick feedbacks to the players. The camera image is recorded along with the tag information, so it is easy to jump to the desired play in the video.
Hardwares used: Mac mini, Mac Studio
National Training Center (Japan) / ENTRIO (Toyoda-gosei arena)
Our self developed tracking system is realized with unique and original high level technology and design concept.
Various original technologies dedicated to sport usage with high accuracy and less restriction: algorithm to measure 3 dimensional ball trajectory with single camera (Patent Number: 7165375), 3 dimentional restoration algorithm with multiple cameras without shutter synchronization (Patent Number: 6697150), etc.
Excels at developing solutions with extremely simple hardware compositions such as consumer camera + Macbook, single iPhone, etc. Provides high level tracking features with limited costs and hardware which enables vast users including amateur teams and players to introduce the system.
All tracking software features are carefully selected with minimum handling which enables single handed operation or even non-operation.
Every software is developed by engineers that have high expertise in macOS/iOS. Image capturing, tracking, CG rendering all processed in one laptop PC with 60fps. The system is especially optimized for development using Apple Silicon.
Qoncept is a group of engineering specialists, including our Top, which can cover wide area of product development including image processing, sports data analysis, iOS app development, etc.
Kenichi develop core vision technology and lead the overall product of Qoncept. He graduated with a Doctor of Engineering in Engineering Science from the Osaka University in 2009. During his graduate school career, he was engaged in research specializing in AR under Professor Hirokazu Kato at Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST).
