Left to right:  Vincent Hsu Ming-Hua (National Chung Hsing University), Izania Downie (TTNZ CEO), Steve Sheu Yung-Hoh (National Formosa University),  Jessica MacAskill (Development Manager) and Sheng Wu (National Tsing Hua University)

Table Tennis Technology

The intelligent table tennis racket uses built in sensors to record detailed swing and stroke data. A total of 16 National Squad athletes and 9 National Para Squad athletes participated in the testing.

During the sessions, players completed a series of three forehand drives exercises while using the intelligent racket. For each exercise, athletes performed 27 strokes. To ensure the most accurate and representative analysis, the first stroke was excluded as players were still settling into the exercise, while the final stroke was excluded because athletes typically exert their maximum effort at the end of the sequence. Researchers therefore focused on the 25 strokes in between, providing a more consistent measure of each player's natural performance.

The 25 strokes were then analysed in five stroke intervals, allowing researchers to examine consistency, technique, power generation, and movement patterns throughout the exercise. This approach provided valuable insights into each athlete's strengths, areas for improvement, and overall stroke performance.

The data collected during the testing will be analysed by the research team in Chinese Taipei, with a report to be provided to TTNZ. 

AUT Visit Sparks Future Collaboration Opportunities

As part of the visit, TTNZ also invited Professor Kirsten Spencer, Professor of Sport Performance Science at Auckland University of Technology (AUT), to observe the testing programme and discuss potential future collaboration opportunities.

Professor Wu's research group already maintains relationships with both AUT and the University of Auckland, creating further opportunities for future partnerships in New Zealand.

How the Collaboration Began

TTNZ Development Manager Jessica MacAskill said what began as a simple conversation has since developed into a much broader opportunity.

"This all started when Professor Wu came to New Zealand in 2025 in his role as a Head Para Classifier. During his visit, he shared the work his team was undertaking in intelligent table tennis racket technology and performance analysis. We immediately saw the potential this research and technology could offer our athletes and coaches.

It’s exciting to see that initial conversation develop into a partnership that has the potential to create new opportunities for Team NZ, while supporting the ongoing development of our athletes and coaches."

New Opportunities

TTNZ Chief Executive Officer Izania Downie said she was excited about the opportunities the partnership will create for New Zealand table tennis.

"This is an exciting first for Table Tennis New Zealand and a significant milestone for our sport. Through this partnership, we are opening the door to world leading research, technology, and expertise that can benefit athletes, coaches, and Para athletes. We are committed to exploring new opportunities that help us better understand performance and support the future growth of table tennis in New Zealand."

Tim Johnson was among the Team NZ athletes who took part in the Intelligent Racket testing programme

Athletes Gain Valuable Performance Insights

Para athlete Tim Johnson was among the athletes who took part in the research programme and experienced first hand how technology can help identify opportunities for improvement.

"It wasn't easy because I need to stay balanced in my chair, which changes the way I move and play," said Johnson. "One of the key findings from the testing was the strength and power I generate through my upper body, developed during my years playing wheelchair rugby. It was encouraging to see that confirmed by the data. The technology has given me another tool to better understand my game  as I work on consistency and as I work on the subtle adjustments it identified, I can already see how small changes can make a significant difference to my performance."

National Squad member Dean Shu said the initial analysis provided by the professors was both insightful and encouraging.

"The professors' analysis was very helpful. They were able to pinpoint some of my key weaknesses and provide suggestions on how I can improve. I have already started applying some of their recommendations as I prepare for the ITTF-Oceania Senior Championships. This was only the initial analysis, and I look forward to receiving the more detailed results and learning even more about my game."