Innovation Challenge Winner In/Out Brings Order on the Court

Arguments over line calls are the bane of tennis players everywhere, and often a major cause of headaches for parents, tournament directors and tennis facility staff.
But now, a new device by inventor Grégoire Gentil may help bring order to the court.

Called, simply enough, “In/Out” (www.inout.tennis), this small, $199 unit attaches to any netpost, on any type of court, and detects whether balls are in or out. On Aug. 28, Gentil’s In/Out device won first prize in the Tennis Industry Association’s “Tennis Innovation Challenge,” held in New York City during the US Open.

Gentil grew up playing tennis in Paris, where even ball marks on the red clay courts often weren’t enough to prevent arguments over whether a shot was in or out. The inventor and engineer, who now lives in Palo Alto, Calif., has made a number of innovative consumer products over the years, and even sold a software company to Cisco Systems Inc.

“I’ve always been a tennis-lover,” he says. “The In/Out device really came about because of my passion for tennis and my ability and background for inventing products for consumers. The idea was to have something for recreational players that was inexpensive—that basically would be in the same price range as a new tennis racquet.”

Living Room Laboratory

Gentil spent two years developing and designing the In/Out device out of the lab he fashioned in his home’s living room. About the size of a GoPro, In/Out has two cameras, which each monitor one side of the court. The unit attaches to the top of the net post with a plastic strap. When a player pushes a button on the screen on the top of the device, In/Out scans the court to find the lines using artificial-intelligence software—an auto-calibration process that takes 10 to 15 seconds. The unit runs on a standard battery and also has a USB connection.

“During play, in real time, you can have a green light flash and a single, audible beep when the ball is in,” Gentil says. “If the ball is out, you’ll hear multiple beeps with a red light.”

But the unit does much more than call balls in or out. In/Out also can provide statistics and HD video playback, which players can use to help them improve. For instance, after playing or practicing, In/Out can show where all shots landed, how high the ball was, how fast it was going, the spin on the ball, and more. Gentil says the software he uses is similar to what is being used in self-driving cars.

In/Out does have some limits, including a margin of error in millimeters that Gentil continues to work on improving. Also, in doubles, the extra players may block the device’s line of sight, so Gentil recommends using two In/Out devices. But, considering the Hawk-Eye system used by pro tournaments runs about $60,000, recreational players and tennis clubs and facilities will likely find a $199 option appealing.

Right after the US Open, Gentil was in China to finalize details and get the first shipment of In/Outs moving. “It’s a good size first batch, and it’s going out right now,” he says. “We’ve already sold a lot of units worldwide, and I’m hoping to do another shipment by the end of this year.”

Taking the Innovation Prize

This past summer, Gentil was contacted by Julien Blin, the CEO of the SportsCouncil Silicon Valley (SCSV), and encouraged to apply for the Tennis Innovation Challenge, which was co-presented by the Tennis Industry Association (TIA) and SCSV. The Innovation Challenge is a “Shark-Tank”-like competition to identify the most innovative and creative products and services in the tennis industry.

From more than 30 applicants, three finalists were chosen to give five-minute presentations to a panel of judges and an audience of nearly 300 tennis industry leaders attending the 10th Annual TIA Tennis Forum on Aug. 28. Gentil’s In/Out was pitted against AccuTennis, an interactive line-calling system, and the Playmate iGenie, a ball machine with innovative calibration and programming.

“Grégoire’s invention impressed our judges panel on every level—from the relevance of the concept, to his unique solution, to the benefits it can bring to all tennis players, to its feasibility and affordability,” says international performance strategist Carlos Salum, president of Salum International Resources and a member of the SCSV, who was the moderator for the Innovation Challenge. “Plus, Grégoir’s entertaining and passionate presentation helped to seal the deal with both the judges and the audience.”

When Salum announced In/Out as the Innovation Challenge winner, Gentil fell to his knees, hands in the air, a la Andre Agassi winning Wimbledon, as the audience cheered.

“All of our finalists had excellent, innovative products, and that’s a great sign for the future of the tennis industry,” says Jolyn de Boer, executive director of the TIA, which sponsored the Innovation Challenge, including the $1,000 winner’s prize.

(This was the second Tennis Industry Innovation Challenge competition sponsored by the TIA this year. The first took place during the TIA’s TOM Conference in Orlando in March and was won by Tennibot, a robotic tennis ball collector.)

“There were a lot of great products entered in the Innovation Challenge, but I was thrilled when In/Out was chosen,” Gentil says. “It was wonderful being recognized by the industry, and it’s encouraging to know that tennis is looking to technology to help players of all levels improve their games.

“We still have a lot to do for In/Out, but I look forward to the opportunities this product presents to this great sport.”