HUUPE
Category
IoT
Sports Tech
SERVICES
Electrical Engineering
Firmware
Software
Machine Vision
Prototyping
The Challenge
Basketball has undergone very few major changes since it was first introduced in the 1890s. Although there have been minor adjustments to the balls, rules, and size of the field and backboards, the game had no significant innovations that could bring revolution. With the advancement of technology in the 21st century, how can we transform a game that is over 100 years old?
The opportunity
HUUPE, a cutting-edge Sports Tech startup, has partnered with AJProTech, a renowned leader in product development, to collaboratively engineer and bring to life the revolutionary concept of the world’s first smart basketball hoop.
The solution
We designed a game-changing, state-of-the-art product for basketball players that has moved our client to the forefront of the Sports Tech industry. The device combines the essential functions of traditional basketball equipment with advanced features and a durable body.
Huupe is a basketball hoop with a high-definition screen that revolutionizes training, tracking, and competition. Analyze every element of your performance, from shooting percentage to agility, and elevate your game like never before
Play anywhere
Install a full-sized basketball hoop inside or outdoors.
Play without boundaries
The game is no longer limited to a single court. Players can now engage in friendly competition with opponents from different parts of the globe. All that’s needed is a stable internet connection.
Stream anything
Your favorite games, shows or highlights.
1:1 Personal training
You can get access to targeted workouts and drills from NBA skills trainers, youth trainers, and everything in between.
OUR APPROACH
Our work began with a feasibility study to establish key requirements.
The industrial design focuses on the strength and reliability of the product. We aimed to enhance the user experience of HUUPE by providing a device that offers maximum durability and incorporates cutting-edge technology.
We have meticulously designed every aspect of the device to withstand the test of time, ensuring that users can rely on HUUPE for long-lasting performance. Additionally, our dedication to continuous technological advancements ensures that HUUPE remains ahead of the curve, offering users the latest features and capabilities. By combining robust durability with innovative technology, we strive to provide HUUPE users with a device that exceeds their expectations and enhances their daily lives.
The Product Development process adhered to the EVT / DVT / PVT workflow. Through iterative cycles of engineering and prototyping, we accomplished the development of a production-ready design that boasts an array of robust and sophisticated functionalities.
INDUSTRIAL AND MECHANICAL DESIGN
HUUPE is a cutting-edge technological innovation that combines a 65″ screen, durable structural pieces, and advanced electronics components. Designed with precision and functionality in mind, this device offers a seamless integration of technology and mechanical design.
The backbone of HUUPE is its robust construction, incorporating high-quality materials that ensure stability and longevity. The structural pieces are intelligently engineered to withstand various weather conditions, making them suitable for both indoor and outdoor installations. This versatility allows users to enjoy their favorite content during the game.
FRONT
The lightweight yet robust welded aluminum structure ensures optimal strength and durability. Furthermore, the entire system of fastenings has been thoroughly designed and calibrated to withstand the weight of the device, while still enabling impressive slam dunk performances.
The device boasts a specialized composition of glass and membranes, meticulously chosen to create a fortified sandwich structure. This unique configuration offers superior ball resistance and sun blocking capabilities. The tempered glass panel serves a dual purpose – protecting the embedded TV screen from potential damage while providing an unrivaled visual experience. This panel is further enhanced with a special coating or baked-in UV and IR-protection, protecting the screen from harmful rays and preserving its clarity over the device’s lifespan. A carefully engineered gap between the glass and the screen allows for controlled compression of the glass without any contact with the sensitive display.
WHAT CAN WE CREATE TOGETHER?
BACK
We knew that the tooling for the back of a plastic enclosure of this size would cost more than $100,000+. To be cost-effective and find a solution, we decided to break the backboard into smaller pieces and machine them using a CNC. This helped us to reduce the cost of custom enclosure manufacturing X10.
Funny facts:
4500+ pounds of plastic been bought and machined
10 pieces for the each backboard
200+ man hours were spent for production of backboards
Although this method was cheaper than mass production techniques, it was still considered high-cost. Therefore, we came up with another solution: using carbon-fiber fabrics that were formed and glued with a special epoxy resin, similar to how some handmade boats are built. For the most complex and crucial parts, we still used CNC machining or 3D printing and glued them inside. This helped us to lower the cost of manufacturing the prototypes while preserving their weatherproof capabilities and even reducing the weight of the device.
ELECTRONICS DESIGN
The primary objective of the project was to create functional prototypes that not only looked great, but also had sufficient computing power to run advanced Machine Vision algorithms, compute data from three Real Sense depth cameras and process data from multiple sensors. With our expertise at AJProTech, we chose a reliable and cost-effective approach to achieve all the stated objectives: use off-the-shelf parts.
CARRIER BOARD
To serve as the “brain” of the system, the AJProTech team selected the Jetson Xavier NX module. Although we were aware that we would not have access to some of the essential connection ports, we intended to purchase off-the-shelf Carrier Boards to cover the missing ports. However, we discovered that most of the available Carrier Boards had a lead time of 6-10 months and were out of stock. Did the AJProTech team give up? No, we decided to build our own Carrier Board for Jetson Xavier, which would be in stock and 50% cheaper than the existing ones.
The device is also equipped with advanced electronics components that ensure superior performance and smooth operation. An adaptive active air cooling system, combined with strategically placed passive cooling elements, helps protect HUUPE electronics from overheating.
FIRMWARE DESIGN
Most of the AJProTech team’s work involved designing reliable firmware for the microcontrollers on the Carrier Board, which incorporates a polling array of sensors in the Huupe. This firmware helps unlock the potential of the Jetson Xavier NX and Intel® RealSense™ cameras when combined.
At AJProTech, we highly advocate the implementation of over-the-air (OTA) updates for optimal hardware performance in our client’s systems. By utilizing this approach, software teams gains flexibility to introduce new features and functionalities to the hardware system. An exemplary instance is the Huupe feature called “Shoot to play,” which was devised long after the completion of the hardware. Through OTA updates, this feature can seamlessly be installed on the existing Huupes without any alterations to the hardware components whatsoever
With AJProTech Firmware, the Jetson Xavier NX is capable of:
- Processing 3 Intel® RealSense™ depth camera video streams.
- Smoothly running software for stable edge computing that processes movements of players and the ball.
- Receiving data from temperature, accelerometers, voltage, and other sensors.
- Monitoring for abnormal conditions and adopting a cooling system or executing an immediate shutdown if necessary.
- Supporting over-the-air updates of the firmware and software, ensuring that the Huupe system remains up-to-date and adaptable to evolving requirements.
SOFTWARE
At AJProTech, we have a proven process designing robust industrial electronics hardware. Starting with system architecture and components selection, we reliably produce future-proof electrical designs.
Our software engineers create reliable IoT mobile apps using Agile sprints. Starting with UX and UI, app development goes through a series our milestones of engineering, Quality Assurance, and publication to App Stores.
AJProTech has implemented a Linux system image, configuring all necessary drivers and integrating the capability to receive data from three high-speed RealSense™ depth cameras. Our focus has been on conducting extensive debugging existing Huupe Software and testing corner cases.
We also developed software for the microphone array to eliminate unnecessary noise and music, and highlight voice. And we integrated it all into Linux as well.
MACHINE VISION
The device is equipped with cutting-edge Machine Vision algorithms that compute data from three Intel® RealSense™ cameras, and process data from multiple sensors.
These cameras have the ability to track player movements with exceptional accuracy in three dimensions. This allows coaches and analysts to gain deeper insights into player performance, covering aspects such as positioning, speed, and agility. The data gathered from these cameras enables more comprehensive player evaluations and strategic game planning. The cameras may capture the action on the court and generate captivating 3D replays from different angles.
Gallery
source: Huupe
source: Huupe
IMPACT
AJProTech has achieved success in producing, testing, and delivering the initial set of prototypes for HUUPE’s smart basketball hoop. These prototypes, along with associated activities, have generated
over $11M in funding for future development and marketing initiatives. Consequently, the HUUPE team has been able to onboard engineers and bring the project in-house.
An early prototype has also been acquired by an NBA superstar.
The media coverage of HUUPE’s prototypes, built by AJProTech, has ignited significant excitement in the technology industry and garnered attention from thousands of investors and millions of people across the United States. These prototypes have been installed in a few gyms to test and improve the software.
