Rapid sensory profiling of tennis rackets

Tennis racket manufacturers rely on subjective assessments from testers during the development process. However, these assessments often lack validity and include multiple sources of inconsistency in the way testers make subjective ratings. The purpose of this research was, to investigate the suitability of the free-choice profiling (FCP) method in combination with Principle Component Analysis and Multiple Factor Analysis to determine the sensory profile of tennis rackets. FCP was found to be a suitable technique to quickly evaluate the sensory profile of rackets, however, consumer testers tended to use ill-defined, industry-generated terms, which negatively impacted discrimination and inter-rater agreement. Discrimination and inter-rater agreement improved for attributes referring to measurable parameters of the rackets, such as vibration. This study furthers understanding about tennis racket feel and supports racket engineers in designing new subjective testing methods, which provide more meaningful data regarding racket feel.