Object rotating apparatus and methods of using

#The present application relates to an apparatus for controllably rotating an object, such as a baseball or any sporting ball, and methods of using the apparatus for measurement of visual acuity and/or training. Specifically, in certain embodiments, an object is rotated at a selected revolutions per minute (RPM) and a subject's exposure to the rotating object is controlled by illumination and/or controlled exposure, and assessing a subject's ability to recognize the direction of rotation.

#In many sports which involve the use of a ball, it is often important to not only be able to recognize the direction the ball is rotating, but to recognize this difference quickly. For example, in baseball, one important difference between a fastball, a curveball, a slider, and a screwball is the direction in which the ball spins. Other important factors are the speed of the pitch and rate of spin. Generally speaking, a ball thrown with a spin will curve in the same direction that the front of the ball (home plate side, when pitched) turns. If the ball is spinning from top to bottom (topspin), it will tend to nosedive into the dirt. If it's spinning from left to right, the pitch will break toward third base. The faster the rate of spin, the more the ball's path curves.

#In the game of baseball, the pitcher throws a 2.9-inch-diameter ball in the direction of home plate, which is 60.5 feet away from the center of the pitcher's mound; the opponent (referred to as the batter) stands near home plate and attempts to hit the ball with a sturdy wooden bat. The pitcher makes the batter's task difficult by throwing the ball at different velocities and with different spins. One well-known type of pitch, the curveball, travels at about 75 mph with a 1500 rpm spin. The curveball is a physically measurable phenomenon: the imbalance of forces created by the ball's spin causes the ball to deviate from a straight line and to follow a smooth parabolic path. Since you only have about 0.4 seconds from when the ball leaves the pitchers hand to when it hits the catcher's mitt, it is critical to quickly recognize the rotation of the ball.

#FIG. 1 shows the described apparatus according to one embodiment.

#The following detailed description will illustrate the general principles of the invention.

#The disclosed apparatus and methods involve subjecting an object, such as a ball, to various rotations in a controlled and modifiable environment, and a subjects ability to recognize the rotation.

#In one aspect, and referring to FIG. 1, the described apparatus comprises a rotary motion assembly comprising an object 90 attached to a shaft 80, the shaft rotatably coupled to a rotary motion actuator such that rotations of the rotary motion actuator rotate the object, and an exposure control assembly. In one embodiment, the object may be mounted on a shaft which is operably linked with a rotary motion actuator, such as a variable speed electric motor. In one embodiment, the shaft and the attached object are vertically aligned such that the object can be rotated either to the “left” based on the movement of the front of the object from right to left, where the front of the object is the portion observable by a subject, or to the “right” based in the movement of the front of the object from left to right. In alternate embodiments, the axis of rotation of the object need not be vertical but can be angled from the vertical at a degree of greater than 0 to about 90°, either to the left or the right. In addition, the point of attachment between the rotating shaft and the object can be varied. For example, a baseball can be mounted such that the rotation resembles a “two seam” rotation, a “four seam” rotation, or any other point of attachment. The speed of rotation can be controlled as well as the direction of rotation, by a controller. In one embodiment, the speed of rotation is controlled by a controller, such as a computer. The rotational speed may be fixed at a desired speed or may be changed as a function of time. For example, the ball may be rotated at speed X for a period of time A and then rotated at speed Y for a period of time B. Any combination of speeds and/or times may be used. In one embodiment, the ball is a baseball and is rotated from greater than 0 RPM to about 3000 RPM. In one embodiment, the apparatus also includes an information display 50.