Participants:
Lewis Allison
Chief Technology Officer at Shot Scope, in charge of hardware development.
The Challenge
Improving on an already successful smart watch
Shot Scope is a leading manufacturer of golf GPS watches and laser rangefinders. To date, Shot Scope has sold over 100,000 units and recorded about 3 million rounds of golf. The laser rangefinders and the golf GPS watches are 2 very distinct products. The laser rangefinders are typically much larger and are used to zap the pin, the flag, and it's slightly more accurate than the GPS watch. With the GPS watch, you just flip your wrist up and it's much quicker to use and it's accurate to about 3 yards. But the GPS watch provides distances to additional things like hazards that the laser doesn't have. You can go onto a separate menu screen to see the bunkers, water, and layout distances to those hazards. You can see carry distances as well, which is due to our 40,000 golf course maps that we've built up over a number of years. Flicking through settings and navigating screens is controlled by the watch’s crown which is a tactile, reactive and positive user experience.
EPS: EPS Global
SS: Shot Scope
PA: PixArt
The Design-In Process
Collaborating from Initial Inquiry to Ongoing Support
PA: The project goes back to 2021, when Shot Scope initially came to PixArt with an inquiry for a device. After a brief discussion on what kind of application Shot Scope had in mind, the solution and the sensor to fit the application was quite simple. I shared this information with Lewis, along with some data sheets, and then I handed over to Dave at EPS Global.
EPS: Immediately we contacted Shot Scope to get more details on their requirements. It involved starting off by getting an NDA signed. They decided on which device they would use, which PixArt confirmed as the right device for the application.
SS: At the start of this project, we weren't sure about which PixArt device to use, and we needed to evaluate it. EPS Global sent us a number of development kits that allowed us to look at the hardware in a bit more detail. It also allowed our software engineers to get a huge start on developing the drivers.
EPS: After this, we at EPS Global provided a volume quotation and started to engage with their chosen subcontractor. And then a year later, we got our first PO from their subcontractor, and today we're still providing ongoing commercial support.
SS: We also found the distribution side of things very useful as well. We had quite an aggressive build plan and EPS Global has been able to meet those demands and ship all the product out to our manufacturers in Malaysia.
The Power of the Pixart Sensor
Enhancing Shot Scope's Golf Watches
PA: The PAT9125EL-TKIT from PixArt is a laser-based optical sensor, and our intention was to replace either a mechanical digital crown or a magnetic solution for this application. It's a very tiny component and with it, customers are capable of designing a solution that is waterproof, fits into the watch easily and replaces various other technologies. One of the advantages of the device is how easy it is to design-in. Also the resolution that we are capable of providing the customers with is a major plus, a tiny shaft which is responsive to 101 count per degree. This offers a lot of features to the customer too.
Shot Scope Looking Ahead
Future Plans and Product Launches
SS: It's a busy year for us at Shot Scope. We're launching 2 watches this year as well as a new laser rangefinder. But the Shot Scope X5, which features the PixArt device, is really our hero product. We're looking to improve the golf of many more golfers with this device. It's a first round watch. It's a nice premium watch. It has a completely redesigned user interface and it also features our shot tracking technology which allows you to view the shots on the mobile app and ultimately help you improve your game.
Our aim for this year is to get more golfers using Shot Scopes and improving their game.
Working with EPS Global
The Value of Partnership
SS: Working with EPS Global is very easy. At the start of the project, they provided us development kits which meant our engineers could start to look at the Pixart device. Our software engineers could start to develop the drivers which helped us evaluate the product before we fully committed to it. As the project progressed, EPS Global were very good in helping us deliver our aggressive milestones for building the actual watches. We could just pick up the phone if there was any issues. So overall it's been a very good experience for EPS Global.