High Speed Motion Sensor of Object

[sjarnac]

I'm looking for a sensor that will recognize a softball that will travel at speeds up to 70MPH. The ball will travel approximately 37 feet in .36 to.56 seconds. The sensor would be located on the ground pointing up at 90 degrees and would have to detect the ball as the ball passed over the sensor and then activate a light or alarm. I realize this is probably a very simple request, but I'm a woodworker and know very little about sensors.... I appreciate any and all help/suggestions

 

[BradtheRad]

Questions:

* Do you wish to detect if the pitch is in a strike zone directly above the plate (about 12 inches wide)?

* Is a bat or batter's arm in the field of view of an optical sensor?

- - - Updated - - -

At 70 mph the ball travels 12 inches in 1/100 second. Conceivably an optical sensor could provide sufficient signal to a simple amplifier.

To make the ball stand out better to the sensor's view, install a blinder around the sensor to narrow its field of vision.

 

[sjarnac]

The sensor is to be placed between the mound and the plate, at a significant distance away from both. There will be no interference from other objects. The sensor would require a 1-2m distance and a 1-2m width. It would be mounted in a protective box which would house a "blinder" as suggested. Are there any suggestions as to a specific unit and supplier?
***THanks for taking the time to respond

 

[FvM]

I doubt that it's "very simple".

Additional questions are how precisely the sensing zone (depth and width) must be defined. What's above the sensing zone, a ceiling or open sky?

 

[sjarnac]

Nothing is “simple” understood. The “definitions” are out of my realm of lack of expertise. I need for the sensor to have enough definition to identify that an object flew thru it’s zone and to send the fact to a light or alarm. As far as what’s above, that could vary from a net in a cage, to a garage ceiling to the open sky if it works outside in the daylight..