PinPal: THE VIRTUAL BOWLING COACH (Bowling App)
‘PinPal: The Virtual Bowling Coach’ web application is intended for bowlers of all skills levels. This mobile application is intended to help novice bowlers improve their game by providing instructional videos during live gameplay. Connected via Bluetooth connection at the bowling alley, the mobile application displays real-time data to the mobile device. The design, content, and videos are all original content, including the video walkthrough of PinPal Bowling App below.
PinPal: The Virtual Bowling Coach
Proposal by Anton Murray
Overview
A perfect score of 300 in bowling is a difficult feat. To get 12 consecutive strikes (a perfect game) is a challenge for most bowlers, leaving both league and amateurs with few options for improving their game. Some bowlers go to great lengths to hire and train with a personal bowling coach because, as of now, that is the most feasible option for live instruction.
An in-person coach provides valuable guidance after bowlers make each shot, and with their coach, users learn more about how to improve their shot during instruction. Within the bowling community, there is true value that currently only a bowling coach can provide, and that an app has yet to capture.
With the launch of the PinPal mobile app, you now have a bowling coach providing real-time feedback to your shots to improve your game, all in the palm of your hand.
There is no app on the market that can provide the same knowledge and guidance a live coach can. With PinPal, your device now becomes the coach and provides real-time instructional feedback. Users can sync up with their lane to receive live replays of attempted shots to track progress and improvement. Bowlers also can view real-time responsive instructional videos that show their attempted shot and provide guidance to pick up the spare through quick five-second animated videos. With the app, bowlers unlock the knowledge of a live coach right at their fingertips.
Motivation
With my experience as a league bowler for almost a decade, I have learned the best way to improve your game is through the knowledge of an experienced coach. He/she guides you throughout the game, reacting to your shots and giving feedback to improve your next attempts. However, for those not looking to invest in a coach, I envision a native app – designed for a mobile device – as the best solution for providing the average bowler with a live coach at their fingertips. Instead of spending upwards of $50-75 an hour for an in-person coach to train with, a $0.99 app download for PinPal will unlock a host of features that allow you to sync your lane via QR code technology to the mobile app and receive personalized feedback through recommended instructional videos after each of your attempted shots.
Currently, there is not a virtual bowling coach app on the market that can sync up to a bowling lane in this way. This is, in part, due to the dated nature of bowling technology within the alley itself. Displays and keyboards are often over 25 to 30 years old and only have the capability to display lo-fi digital scores during live gameplay. There has never been an integration of a mobile app, nor an application that serves to improve a user’s bowling average. By integrating the PinPal app, users can now sync up their own device to the game and it now packs the knowledge of a skilled bowling coach that reacts and responds to your shots in real-time.
With this project, I want to provide any bowler with a live virtual coach. The app will help to improve their game through reactive live game play. With support from local bowling alleys, PinPal will bring an innovative update to the bowling lane. Additionally, as the app grows, bowling alleys will be granted access to a growing network of bowlers who can connect on and offline. By providing bowlers with real-time feedback – using multiple high-tech, pinhole cameras aimed down each lane to record ball movement – one can view how each shot was thrown down the lane using their mobile device.
To record the ball movement at each lane, there are two cameras at the approach line, two cameras in the middle of the lane bed, and one aerial camera in the pit area. Showing these angles will also increase the bowler’s understanding of how the ball reacts to the specific lane they are currently using.
Features of the PinPal Mobile Application
Synced Lanes: The app on bowlers’ devices will sync with their individual lane through an individual lane QR code. Multiple bowlers have the ability to sync up to each lane before a game starts and are connected to the lane’s video technology to replay live shots
Live Replays: Lanes are equipped with aerial and down-the-lane cameras to capture each shot and send it to the user’s device seamlessly.
Instructional Videos: For certain shots (split, 10-pin, etc.), recommended quick instructional videos (see breakdown of spare scenarios) will pop up on the app and map out the best way for the bowler to make their next shot. The suggested videos are preloaded and compiled for all users, but uniquely react on demand to specific shots using AI technology.
Social Engagement: Users have the option to share their scores or individual replays of shots on social media.
Deliverables
Mobile Application Design
PinPals is a native mobile app design for bowlers looking for a substitute to a live bowling coach. The robust mobile app will include the following features:
Live Replays: While bowling, some shots have unexplainable results. By being able to see your own shot through multiple camera angles, users get to learn from their mistakes – a valuable aspect from a coaching perspective.
Sharing Videos: Successfully making a strike or spare is an achievement in itself. The degree of difficulty varies on what pins are left after the first attempted shot (if not a strike). For those who successfully make their second shot (a spare), an option is unlocked to share your video on social media as an added bonus.
User Profiles: Users have the option to set up a quick profile at start to determine if they are right- or left-handed, level of expertise, long-term goals, etc.
Goal Tracker: The goal tracker shows and interprets your progress and collects all your past scores automatically. Shot attempts and shot conversions are also calculated to help show the bowler how they have progressed.
Instructional Video Design
Instructional video is a very unique feature for my mobile application. The instructional videos will be compiled into an archive that users can access online or offline harnessing the knowledge of a skilled bowling expert into a single app. The instructional video aspect is a completely unique feature to the app.
From showing the way pins are set up, to how to throw the ball (either straight or with a hook) to learning how to pick up spare shots, this app is geared for both novice and amateur bowlers alike.
If a strike is not made, one of 17 pre-determined instructional videos will pop-up to help increase the bowler’s understanding of their next shot. By being able to see how to approach the next shot, users get to learn what needs to be done to successfully make the spare.
Below are different types of quick instructional videos that will help bowlers learn the basics:
PIN SET-UP: Pins 1 through 10. Pins are arranged in four rows and they are numbered from left to right, from front to back.
STRAIGHT VS. HOOK BALL: Depending on the type of ball you use – house ball or personal ball – you can either throw is straight or with a hook. Typically, a “hook” ball with create more pin action and (should) knock down more pins. Adversely, with a “straight” ball, the pin action will be minimal in comparison to a hook shot.
STRIKE BALL: The strike is the obvious goal for any bowler, regardless of their skill level. My mobile app will contain instructional videos on how to properly attempt a strike on the first ball – for both left-handed and right-handed bowlers. There will be two videos in this section.
Correct Strike – Right-handed bowlers will aim to place the ball in the “pocket” between the 1 and 3 pin. Adversely, left-handed bowlers will aim to place the ball in the “pocket” between the 1 and 2 pin, respectively.
“Brooklyn” Strike – When a bowler hits the opposite side of their “pocket” and still makes the strike, this is considered a “brooklyn” strike.
SPARE PICK-UP SCENARIOS:
Within the app, an archive of 17 instructional videos, one for each variation of spare, will appear. When a user misses a strike, a short three to five second video will pop up on the app specifically based on the pins that remain after their shot. The user has the option to watch the pop-up instructional video, or swipe the notification away to continue. Users can also replay videos with a game, but data will be deleted shortly.
Spare 1 Scenario - Leaving the 1-2-9 pins
Spare 2 Scenario - Leaving the 1-3-6-9 pins
Spare 3 Scenario - Leaving the 1-3-8-9 pins
Spare 4 Scenario - Leaving the 1-2-4-7 pins
Spare 5 Scenario - Leaving the 2-4-5-8 pins
Spare 6 Scenario - Leaving the 3-6-10 pins
Spare 7 Scenario - Leaving the 3-9 pins
Spare 8 Scenario - Leaving the 3-10 pins
Spare 9 Scenario - Leaving the 1-2-10 pins
Spare 10 Scenario - Leaving the 5-7 pins
Spare 11 Scenario - Leaving the 4-7-9-10 pins
Spare 12 Scenario - Leaving the 6-7-10 pins
Spare 13 Scenario - Leaving the 4-5-7 pins
Spare 14 Scenario - Leaving the 5-8-10 pins
Spare 15 Scenario - Leaving the 2-7 pins
Spare 16 Scenario - Leaving the 5-10 pins
Spare 17 Scenario - Leaving the 2-4-7 pins
Website Design
A single landing page (www.PinPal.com) directing users to the App Store or Google Play store (depending on their device) to download the PinPal app. The website is not meant to be integrated with the mobile app, but used for promotional purposes and to address any technical support issues that could arise with users.
PinPal in Action (Scenario)
Cindy scans the QR code located on her lane. She downloads the app and fills out a 10-second questionnaire indicating she is left-handed, novice bowler.
Cindy shoots a 1-2-9 split. Her shot is recorded and replays on the app automatically. Next, a suggested video pops up showing her how to approach the next shot and potentially make the spare. She successfully makes the spare and unlocks the feature to share the video with her friends on social media with a single click.
Key Components to PinPal
Social Aspect - Like/Share Functionality
The social aspect of my mobile app is very critical when it comes to sharing information to other bowlers that are using the PinPals app. Real-time video responsiveness and share-ability makes this aspect a key feature to the app. Given the opportunity to show your friends the shots you’ve attempted (and made or missed) gives the bowler a chance to boast their skills to others.
Using recorded film from each shot (taken directly from the bowler’s lane), a feature containing two action buttons – Like and Share – will be included that can be linked to the individual’s social network account (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) after each shot is taken. Users can make their videos Public or Private; with Public videos appearing on the main PinPal board for other PinPal users to view/comment/rate. A simple rating system (thumbs up) will be included to call out users who made a great strike or spare.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Functionality
Due to the nature of the bowling application, AI is constantly running in the background of the application to help quickly respond to the bowler’s throw. After each attempt, the mobile application analyzes the individual shot data and automatically generates the probability of shot being made and proper angle needed to achieve the spare and attempts/ completions of specific shot.
“Learn the Lane” Informational Pages on the Mobile App
For those not already familiar with bowling, there will be a “Learn the Lane” informational page(s) that provide novice bowlers with a quick diagram showing the following:
Approach Area – The approach is a level runway a minimum of 15’ from the foul line. This is where the stance, approach, release and follow through are made.
Starting Markings – All lanes have two sets of 5 starting markers located 12 and 15 feet behind the foul line which helps the bowler find the correct starting position.
Pit Area – The pit is located directly behind the pins. It collects pins that have been knocked down.
Lane Darts – There are seven lane darts arranged scientifically in the lane bed starting 13’-10” beyond the foul line.
Angle Spots – There are 10 angle spots 7 feet beyond the foul line to help the bowler establish the correct angle for the path of the ball.
Lane Bed – The lane bed is the bowling surface that extends 60’ from the foul line to the center of the head pin (#1) and three feet from the front of the head pin (#1) to the pit area.
Boards – Each lane has 39 boards. These boards help guide you to aim the ball down the lane. The center board is considered Board #20.
Oil Patterns – Each lane is covered with high gloss wax which affects how the ball reacts to the lane. Oil patterns vary from lane to lane.
Gutter – The trench on either side of the lane bed is considered the gutter. Avoid this area.
Foul Line – The foul line is a horizontal mark separating the approach from the lane. Avoid touching the foul line.
Conclusion
In terms of innovative technology, bowling has seen little change. With the design of my mobile application, PinPal, I aim to bring an innovative approach to how bowlers can currently improve their game.
