Hot Spot
Hot Spot is an infra-red imaging system used in cricket to determine whether the ball has struck the batsman, bat or pad. Hot Spot requires two infrared cameras on opposite sides of the ground above the field of play that are continuously recording an image. Any suspected snick or bat/pad event can be verified by examining the infrared image, which usually shows a bright spot where contact friction from the ball has elevated the local temperature. Where referrals to an off-field third umpire are permitted, the technology is used to enhance the on-field umpire’s decision making accurancy. Where referrals are not permitted, the technology is used primarily as an analysis aid for televised coverage.
They made stump Cam (Stump camera) in the early eighties. then cricket coverage saw Snikometer in nineties with Speed Gun in 1999. Channel 9 network were not satisfied, so they made Hawkeye in 2002.
Its principal application in cricket is in deciding whether the ball has struck the batsman’s bat or pad — this determination being critical in determining if a batsman is dismissed or not on appeal for LBW or caught.
Hot Spot uses two infra-red cameras positioned at either end of the ground.These cameras sense and measure heat from friction generated by a collision, such as ball on pad, ball on bat, ball on ground or ball on glove. Using a subtraction technique a series of black-and-white negative frames is generated into a computer, precisely localising the ball’s point of contact.
