Hot Spot

The Hot Spot technology, invented by Warren Brennan, is an infra-red imaging system used in cricket to determine whether the ball has struck the batsman, bat or pad — this being critical in determining whether he is dismissed or not on appeal for LBW or caught.Hot spot requires two infrared 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, locating the ball's point of contact.[caption id="attachment_51685" align="alignleft" width="380" caption="VVS Laxman's suspected edge late on Day One wasn't detected leading to a huge controversy. Tom Shaw/Getty Images"][/caption]Where referrals to an off-field third umpire are permitted, the technology is used to help the on-field umpire make an accurate decision. Where referrals are not allowed, the technology is used primarily as an analysis tool for televised coverage — the hot spot camera provides valuable information while analysing the strokes played by a batsman.The technology was introduced by the Australian Nine Network during the first Test of the 2006-07 Ashes series at The Gabba, on 23 November 2006. Despite being useful, the hot spot isn't used much because of the high costs involved — $6000 per day for the use of two cameras and $10000 for the use of four cameras.In addition, the accuracy of the technology has been questioned since its inception. In the ongoing India-England series, VVS Laxman's suspected edge late on Day One in the second Test wasn't detected leading to a huge controversy. Former England skipper Michael Vaughan tweeted that the Hyderabadi batsman might have used vaseline on the edge of his bat to avoid detection by the hot spot after a caught-behind appeal against him was neither supported by the umpire nor by the Decision Review System.The owner and inventor of the technology, Brennan, told the Hindustan Times that it's not 100% accurate. "Over the years we have found that occasionally, we don't get hot spots when we are expecting them, particularly on the faint edges. From what I gather, Laxman has made comments categorically saying that he just didn't hit it. At the same time, I don't know how to explain the noise that was heard," he said.Brennan added that applying vaseline on the edge of bat could help in an edge not getting detected as a hot spot. In fact, even a tape on the edge of the bat can be a deterrent. "Anything you apply to the bat would reduce the friction (between the bat and the ball) and that can hinder the detection of hot spot. This is not something that we have tested yet, but we will attempt to test it this week."However, BBG Sports, the company behind Hot Spot, has said that a batsman would have to apply a whole centimetre of vaseline to the edge of a bat for it to have any impact on the technology.“We have done testing over the past two days in our office and can conclude that putting vaseline on the side of a cricket bat has no discernible effect on our Hot Spot system. Maybe if you were able to apply 10 millimetres (one centimetre) of vaseline on the side of the bat it would make a difference but we believe that this would be near impossible to achieve,” the company said in a statement.