Optimization of table tennis target detection algorithm guided by multi-scale feature fusion of deep learning

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 14; no. 1; p. 1401
• Main Author: Rong, Zhang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 16.01.2024; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 639/705/117; 639/705/258; Accuracy; Algorithms; Athletes; Deep learning; Humanities and Social Sciences; multidisciplinary; Neural networks; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Table tennis
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51865-3

This paper aims to propose a table tennis target detection (TD) method based on deep learning (DL) and multi-scale feature fusion (MFF) to improve the detection accuracy of the ball in table tennis competition, optimize the training process of athletes, and improve the technical level. In this paper, DL technology is used to improve the accuracy of table tennis TD through MFF guidance. Initially, based on the FAST Region-based Convolutional Neural Network (FAST R-CNN), the TD is carried out in the table tennis match. Then, through the method of MFF guidance, different levels of feature information are fused, which improves the accuracy of TD. Through the experimental verification on the test set, it is found that the mean Average Precision (mAP) value of the target detection algorithm (TDA) proposed here reaches 87.3%, which is obviously superior to other TDAs and has higher robustness. The DL TDA combined with the proposed MFF can be applied to various detection fields and can help the application of TD in real life.