This
is a beta 1.6b version of the CurveBall Expert program, and you are invited
to participate in the beta testing. If you find errors in the program or
would like to suggest improvements, please send an e-mail to nancy.r.hall@nasa.gov.
CurveBall - Expert
With this software you can investigate how a big league pitcher throws
a curveball by changing the
values of the factors
that affect the aerodynamic forces on the ball.
These are the same forces that generate the lift
and
drag
of an aircraft wing. You can study aircraft wings with the
FoilSim III software available at this site.
There are several different versions of the CurveBall software that are now available, with
each succeeding version adding some additional factors that affect the flight of the ball.
This page contains the expert version and it includes the effects of the
weight
and the aerodynamic
side force
and
drag,
on the flight of the ball. The resulting flight path is three dimensional, so you
must specify several parameters to define the initial release of the pitch. This web page
describes the variables required and how to set the values for the variables.
If you find that all of the input parameters are too confusing, we
recommend that you try the
Student Version 1.5 of the program.
The student version only models the aerodynamic
side force acting on the ball.
The motion is two dimensional and the number of input parameters is
greatly reduced. You can study the trajectory of the ball at the ballpark
and the flow of air around the ball in a wind tunnel at the same time with
the student version. Version 1.5 simulates the pitch of a baseball, fast pitch softball,
slow pitch softball, or any ball that you specify.
Student Version 1.4 of the program simulates only
the pitch of a baseball.
This page contains detailed instructions on the use of the sliders and buttons
for the expert version of the program.
For experienced users, we have a
web page that contains only the software.
You can download the expert version of the program to your computer
by clicking on this yellow button:
With the downloaded version, you can run the program off-line and do not
have to be connected to the Internet.
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
If you see only a grey box at the top of this page, be sure that Java is
enabled in your browser. If Java is enabled, and you are using the Windows XP
operating system, you need to get a newer version of Java. Go to this link:
http://www.java.com/en/index.jsp,
try the "Download It Now" button, and then select "Yes" when the download box from Sun
pops up.
This program is designed to be interactive, so you have to work with the program.
There are a variety of choices which you must make regarding the analysis and the display
of results by using a choice box.
A choice box has a descriptive word displayed and an arrow at the right of the
box. To make a choice, click on the arrow, hold down and drag to
make your selection.
The current values of the design variables are presented to you in boxes.
To change the value in an input box, select the box by moving the cursor into the box
and clicking the mouse, then backspace over the old number, enter a new number,
then hit the Enter key on your keyboard. You must hit Enter
to send the new value to the program.
For most input variables you can also use a slider located next to the input box.
Click on the slider bar, hold down and drag the slider bar to change values, or
you can click on the arrows at either end of the slider.
At any time, to return to the original default conditions,
click the red Reset button at the upper right of the program.
If you experience difficulties when using the sliders to change variables,
simply click away from the slider and then back to it.
If
the arrows on the end of the sliders disappear, click in the areas
where the left and right arrow images should appear, and they
should reappear.
SCREEN LAYOUT
The program screen is divided into two main parts:
In the upper half of the screen are the graphics windows.
On the right are two graphics windows that show the
trajectory
of the pitch as viewed from the side and from the top.
On the left is a view from behind the plate and a graphic of a spinning ball.
The spin axis of the ball is shown on the ball and you can adjust the
axis using the input devices described below.
By adjusting the spin axis, you can make the aerodynamic
force
cause the ball to loft or dive.
If the spin axis is vertically oriented, the ball
curves from side to side.
You can see the effects of spin and gravity on the flight path in the
side view at the top right.
And you can see the side to side effect in the
top view located beneath the side view.
You can see the combined effects of aerodynamics and weight in the
catcher's view at the upper left. We have drawn a
strike zone in each of the view windows so that you can adjust the
input parameters to throw a strike. In the blue window at the left
your pitch is judged as a ball or a strike. The side and top view windows
tell you how far from the center of the plate
and how high above the plate the pitch first crossed the front of the plate.
The input parameters for the pitch are specified in the
bottom half of the screen.
Beginning on the left, you must specify the
the speed of the pitch,
the spin on the ball, and the orientation of
the axis of the spin. As mentioned above, if the spin axis is
vertical (angle equals zero), the aerodynamic force is purely side to side. If the
axis is horizontal (angle equal to +/- 90 degrees),
the side force lifts or dives the ball, depending on the
direction of rotation (+/- value of spin). For values beween zero and ninety degrees
you get both a horizontal and a vertical component of the aerodynamic force.
You can be a right hander pitcher or a lefty
by clicking on the round buttons below the spin axis inputs. The direction of
rotation is reversed between righty and lefty.
In the lower left, we see some colored buttons. The green "PITCH" button throws the
ball. The blue "Save" button can be used to freeze the graphics of a completed pitch for
comparison with a later pitch. The white "Clear" button erases all the graphics and
prepares you for the next pitch. When you click on the "PITCH" button, the ball is thrown
and the boxes below the buttons record the time, speed, and magnitude of the forces during
the flight of the ball. The orange "Reset" button can be used at any time to return the
program to its intial conditions.
Moving to the right lower half of the screen, we find the inputs needed to specify
the point on the pitcher's mound from which you release
the ball, and the angle at which you release the ball. A small
arrow on the ball in the graphics window will help you determine these
values. And the red stitches on the ball shows the direction and rate of
spin. You can vary the height and the vertical angle of release, and the side distance and
angle from the center of the pitcher's rubber. Below the Release inputs
are some choice buttons to select the stadium location and the weather conditions.
Changing the stadium location changes the
atmospheric conditions.
The default weather conditions are an Average Day
at the selected stadium. The average is based on an NASA model of the
atmosphere and how the pressure and temperature change with
altitude. For the average day, we have the temperature set to 59 degrees
at each stadium. A Hot Day sets the temperature to 89 degrees,
and a Cold Day sets the temperature to 35 degrees.
You can change all of the atmospheric conditions
by using the Specify option on the choice button.
You can change the temperature, the atmospheric
pressure, and the relative humidity of
the air; the program will calculate the air density
that affects the magnitude of the aerodynamic forces.
Try setting up a pitch and then change the location.
What happens to the trajectory?
