EagleEye Golf Ball Finder

1
Eagle-Eye Golf Ball
Finder

• James Valfre
• Paul Brunner
• Krystal Lucas
• Anne Grigals

2
Problem Situation

• Missing golf balls require expending energy and
  time to find
• Lost golf balls cause a monetary expense to the
  player for replacement
• Lost golf balls result in penalty strokes and
  frustration with the game
• Golfers searching for missing golf balls cause a
  slow-down in play and less course throughput

3
Requirement Creation

• Budget
• Schedule
• Technology availability
• Interface
• Standards
• Consistency across terrains
• Reproducibility
• Time Required to find Ball
• Physical Damage to Ball
• System Availability
• Reliability
• Safety
• Justifiable Customer Cost/Maintenance
• Short Training Time

4
Schedule
Requirements Creation 8/2
Document 2 9/24
Document 6 9/10
Document 3 10/1
Document 5 10/15
All Documents 12/10
5
Concept Exploration

• (1) Sound-emitting ball
• (2) Brightly colored ball
• (3) Dog Chaser
• (4) Golf Lessons
• (5) Fixed Sensors on Course
• (6) GPS ball
• (7) RF ball
• (8) Do Nothing

6
Concept Evaluation(using Sum Combining Functions)
Final Score .70 .68 .71 .74 .65 .60 .81 .73
Concept 1 Sound Emitting Concept 2 Brightly
colored Concept 3 Dog Chaser Concept 4 Golf
Lessons Concept 5 Sensors Concept 6 GPS Concept
7 RF Tag Concept 8 Do Nothing
7
Trade Study Criteria
Weights 9 3 4 9 6 5 7 9 10 5 5 7 7 7 6

• Performance
• Consistency across terrains
• Operator reproducibility
• Time to locate ball
• Physical damage to ball
• Availability
• Reliability
• Safety
• Conformity to USGA
• Utilization of Resources
• Cost of Design/System
• System Design Time
• Operating and Maintenance
• Selling Price
• Training Time

8
Scoring Functions for Requirements
9
Scoring Functions Continued
2.0
100.0
10
Sensitivity Analysis
64/36
Performance
Resource
11
RF System

• Built-in, spherical, semi-active RF tag
• Handheld locator device
• Handheld transmits a set RF frequency and
  receives a return signal from golf ball
• Handheld indicates correct direction

12
RF System
Ball lost in rough. Handheld transmits at set
frequency. Ball absorbs power from magnetic field
and transmits back to hand- held. Player knows
direction to walk.
2.4 GHz
RF Signals at set frequency
13
RF Schematic
Diagram of signal and data flow. Shows how
battery is recharged.
Battery in Tag power-boosts the return signal to
allow system to function over an approximate
range of 100 meters.
14
RF Ball Prototype
Research Indicates Coin-Size RF tags with
integrated thin-film rechargeable battery are
feasible.
15
Requirements Validation Verification
Method D T T T/I A A
Requirement Consistency Across Terrains Operator
Reproducibility Time to Locate Ball Physical
Damage to Ball Availability Reliability
Method Legend D Demonstration T Test I
Inspection A Analysis
16
Requirements Validation Verification
Method A T/D/I A A A A D
Requirement Safety Conformity to USGA Cost of
Design/System System Design Time Operating and
Maintenance Selling Price Training Time
Method Legend D Demonstration T Test I
Inspection A Analysis
17
Test Plan

• Golfer will hit ball into three coverage areas
  heavy trees, tall grass and sand
• Five golfers hit a ball and record their search
  time
• Pro golfer will try to hit a target. This is
  compared against his precision and accuracy with
  a standard ball.

18
System Implementation

• Research yielded potential designs
• Trade Study indicated appropriate concept
• Tests developed to support concept decision
• System could be ready to build summer 2004

19
Lessons Learned

• Team could work on a project successfully despite
  not being at same site
• Customer requirements do drive the concept design
  decision

20
Conclusion

• Team determined RF tag concept was the best
  alternative
• Eagle-Eye Golf Ball Finder would meet customers
  needs