An illuminated pickleball contains an elongated LED illuminated element with two opposing ends and comprises a shell that includes a plurality of apertures therethrough, two of which being designated as access aperture. The shell includes two opposing element holders which each include a shank projecting inwardly from the inside surface at one of the access apertures and which are mutually longitudinally aligned through a center point of the shell. Each holder is adapted for receiving the elongated illumination element and for retaining one of the opposing ends of the elongated illumination element by friction. When one end of the illumination element is inserted through an access aperture and then through one of the holders to engage the opposing holder, the opposing end of the elongated illumination element is retained, and the illumination element traverses through the center point of the shell and illuminates the pickleball from within.

A sports ball is configured to enhance detection of spin properties by radar. The ball includes a spherical body having a first reflectivity with respect to radiation generated by a radar to be used in detecting spin of the ball. In addition, the ball includes a plurality of markers. Each of the markers has a second reflectivity with respect to the radiation generated by a radar to be used in detecting spin of the ball. The second reflectivity is different from the first reflectivity. The markers are distributed on the ball so that every great circle extending around an exterior surface of the ball is within a distance d of a projection on the exterior surface of the ball of at least one of the markers. The distance d is less than a radius of the ball.

A sports ball is configured to enhance detection of spin properties by radar. The ball includes a spherical body having a first reflectivity with respect to radiation generated by a radar to be used in detecting spin of the ball. In addition, the ball includes a plurality of markers. Each of the markers has a second reflectivity with respect to the radiation generated by a radar to be used in detecting spin of the ball. The second reflectivity is different from the first reflectivity. The markers are distributed on the ball so that every great circle extending around an exterior surface of the ball is within a distance d of a projection on the exterior surface of the ball of at least one of the markers. The distance d is less than a radius of the ball.

A device includes a signaling means and a motion sensor, and logic for activating or controlling the signaling means in response to a sensed motion according to an embedded logic. The device may be used as a toy, and may be shaped like a play ball or as a handheld unit. It may be powered from a battery, either chargeable from an AC power source directly or contactless by using induction or by converting electrical energy from harvested kinetic energy. The embedded logic may activate or control the signaling means, predictably or randomly, in response to sensed acceleration magnitude or direction, such as sensing the crossing of a preset threshold or sensing the peak value. The visual means may be a numeric display for displaying a value associated with the count of the number of times the threshold has been exceeded or the peak magnitude of the acceleration sensed.

A device includes a signaling means and a motion sensor, and logic for activating or controlling the signaling means in response to a sensed motion according to an embedded logic. The device may be used as a toy, and may be shaped like a play ball or as a handheld unit. It may be powered from a battery, either chargeable from an AC power source directly or contactless by using induction or by converting electrical energy from harvested kinetic energy. The embedded logic may activate or control the signaling means, predictably or randomly, in response to sensed acceleration magnitude or direction, such as sensing the crossing of a preset threshold or sensing the peak value. The visual means may be a numeric display for displaying a value associated with the count of the number of times the threshold has been exceeded or the peak magnitude of the acceleration sensed.

A device includes a signaling means and a motion sensor, and logic for activating or controlling the signaling means in response to a sensed motion according to an embedded logic. The device may be used as a toy, and may be shaped like a play ball or as a handheld unit. It may be powered from a battery, either chargeable from an AC power source directly or contactless by using induction or by converting electrical energy from harvested kinetic energy. The embedded logic may activate or control the signaling means, predictably or randomly, in response to sensed acceleration magnitude or direction, such as sensing the crossing of a preset threshold or sensing the peak value. The visual means may be a numeric display for displaying a value associated with the count of the number of times the threshold has been exceeded or the peak magnitude of the acceleration sensed.

A device includes a signaling means and a motion sensor, and logic for activating or controlling the signaling means in response to a sensed motion according to an embedded logic. The device may be used as a toy, and may be shaped like a play ball or as a handheld unit. It may be powered from a battery, either chargeable from an AC power source directly or contactless by using induction or by converting electrical energy from harvested kinetic energy. The embedded logic may activate or control the signaling means, predictably or randomly, in response to sensed acceleration magnitude or direction, such as sensing the crossing of a preset threshold or sensing the peak value. The visual means may be a numeric display for displaying a value associated with the count of the number of times the threshold has been exceeded or the peak magnitude of the acceleration sensed.

A ball, and in particular a baseball or softball, including one or more sensors such as accelerometers and/or inertial measurement units, and systems and methods using the same to improve a pitcher's pitching performance are described herein. In some embodiments, the ball may include one or more inertial measurement units and/or accelerometers capable of monitoring motion of the ball while it is thrown. Various types of pitches may be selected, and in response to the inertial measurement unit(s) and/or accelerometer(s) detecting certain parameters corresponding to a selected pitch, one or more indicators may be caused to perform an action. For example, one or more illuminating elements located on the ball may turn a first color in response to detecting parameters corresponding to the selected pitch.

A ball, and in particular a baseball or softball, including one or more sensors such as accelerometers and/or inertial measurement units, and systems and methods using the same to improve a pitcher's pitching performance are described herein. In some embodiments, the ball may include one or more inertial measurement units and/or accelerometers capable of monitoring motion of the ball while it is thrown. Various types of pitches may be selected, and in response to the inertial measurement unit(s) and/or accelerometer(s) detecting certain parameters corresponding to a selected pitch, one or more indicators may be caused to perform an action. For example, one or more illuminating elements located on the ball may turn a first color in response to detecting parameters corresponding to the selected pitch.

A touch activated lighted sports ball is formed as a sphere having a core and an outer layer. A pair of electrodes are exposed on an exterior surface of the outer layer. An electronic circuit is disposed within the core. The electronic circuit has a battery, a lamp, an active circuit element, and an electronic switch. The electronic switch is connected to the pair of electrodes, and is responsive to current flowing through a low resistance path between the electrodes to energize the lamp.