MCI mechatronics team wins cluster award

Football machine receives the mechatronics cluster award on the Tyrolean Day of Innovation: the prototype achieves NFL superstar precision at tenfold frequency

With the cluster award the Tyrol Location Agency recently distinguished excellent research, development and innovation projects of its members. Management Center Innsbruck (MCI) entered the competition with the Quarterceive ball throwing machine developed in its own laboratories for American football training and promptly gained the mechatronics cluster award.

The jury praised the combination of sporting, training science, and mechatronic dimensions. Precision of passes, usability, flexibility, and degree of automatization lie well above conventional levels. Instead of being directed manually, the football machine is given directions via app. It adjusts itself accordingly and ensures that the pass will land at its predetermined destination with pinpoint accuracy. Also, the frequency of the machine is impressive: in contrast to the average 40 passes being made during training, up to 400 passes can be achieved per recipient.

MCI Project Manager Bernhard Hollaus is proud of the Quarterceive: “Our last tests have shown that there is no quarterback in Europe to match the precision of our Quarterceive – even though the prototype is still being developed and optimized.”

The football machine was developed in cooperation with SWARCO Raiders Tirol. Also Gerwin Wichmann, General Manager of SWARCO Raiders Tirol, was pleased with the cluster award, confirming the success of the joint development project: “I am delighted. Once the development process has been completed, the Quarterceive will be a mega-machine that will revolutionize our training practice.“

According to the motto “Let’s win together” Management Center Innsbruck and SWARCO Raiders Tirol have been partners since 2015, combining highly professional amateur sports with high-level education. There is a joint commitment to fairness in sports and the encouragement of achievement, success, convergence, exchange, and internationality of motivated individuals.

Press contact
Mag. (FH) Ulrike Fuchs
Marketing & Communication
+43 512 2070-1527
ulrike.fuchs@mci.edu