Mike, I could write for an hour in answer to you questions. All intelligent questions I might add. However, if you call the company at 1-516-243-1880 and/or check out their home page @ www.questec.com you can find most of your answers. Any unresolved ones, I'd be happy to take a swing at answering there after. I copied the the following from their home page under their "corporate profile" section. I think some of your answers are here:
QuesTec Imaging, Inc. is a publicly traded company. We are currently listed on the U.S. Over The Counter Bulletin Board market. Our stock symbol is OTC NASD-BB: QSTI.
QuesTec Imaging (formerly SZL Sportsight Inc.) is an international, technology-based information services provider. The company's proprietary software systems are addressed to several unique and sizable markets. QuesTec's patented technology captures and tracks live moving images and associated data, then compresses and instantly reconstructs and displays the action in real-time, with computer-generated, three-dimensional graphics. Applications for the technology are numerous. They include various uses in professional and amateur sports, television and video production, video games, interactive internet services and security/surveillance systems. QuesTec has forged alliances with multi-billion dollar corporations (e.g. Silicon Graphics - NYSE: SGI), clearly validating the company's technology and giving it signifigant marketing and revenue generating potential.
Product Applications
Baseball:
Used for broadcast enhancement, coaching purposes and for strategical game information, SuperVisionSM uses QuesTec's motion-tracking technology to create a unique, three-dimensional view of the exact speed, trajectory, movement and location of each pitch thrown during a game, as soon as it crosses home plate. Because SuperVisionSM is a three-dimensional perspective, it can be shown from any angle and it can better illustrate the true movement and location of the baseball than any two-dimensional camera view. In addition, because each pitch is stored and can be instantly recalled, any number of pitches can be shown together in any sequence -- as a full-screen display or as a split-screen -- making SuperVisionSM the most comprehensive tool in baseball when it comes to illustrating the difference between certain kinds of pitches, describing pitching trends within the game, showing outstanding pitches or costly mistakes, and comparing key at bats and situations during a game. All of SuperVision'sSM features bring new color to broadcast commentary of baseball and add a unique replay option during television coverage. Importantly, SuperVisionSM can also generate revenue for the television networks as a new medium for advertiser sponsorship. All of the information SuperVisionSM provides is also an aid to players, coaches and team management. To date, the system has been used by the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers, Florida Marlins, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Oakland A's and San Francisco Giants during games which aired over various television networks.
In addition to regional contracts during the regular-season, SuperVisionSM was most recently contracted on a national scale by NBC during its 1997 coverage of both the National League Championship Series and World Series. Regionally, the system is leased on a per season basis, with the market for all 30 Major League teams estimated at $10 million per year.
Efforts are also currently under way to introduce SuperVisionSM internationally, with a strong emphasis being focused on Japanese and Australian professional baseball. Revenues from international baseball could exceed $3 million per year.
SuperScoutTM is a statistical analysis/data based software program featuring the most comprehensive array of information in baseball for scouting, coaching and team management purposes. The SuperScoutTM system tracks the pitch-by-pitch activity on the field during games in every official scoring and statistical category and assembles a comprehensive statistical database that is updated game-by-game and which can be viewed in a number of user selected reports. These reports provide information that can be used to determine the strengths, weaknesses and tendencies of players, teams and managers. SuperScoutTM can provide such information as to which players have a tendency to be "first-ball swingers," how each manager aligns his defense in certain situations, how each player performs offensively against each team or against certain pitchers, when a team is most likely to call a pitchout, and so much more. The SuperScoutTM system is a rich source of information for general managers, managers, coaches, players and scouts alike. Currently, the Detroit Tigers use SuperScoutTM to scout and evaluate opposing teams and players, and discussions are ongoing with several other Major League teams for the use of the system. QuesTec management estimates the market for SuperScoutTM in Major League Baseball at $2.5 million per year.
SuperVisionIISM not only provides the unique perspective and comprehensive pitching analysis capabilities of SuperVisionSM, but it also continually tracks and displays the location of every player on the field (showing base-runners and illustrating the different defensive alignments used for different situations throughout the game), and incorporates all the official scoring and statistical tracking information of SuperScoutTM to create the most powerful scoring mechanism, statistical database and analysis tool the game has ever seen. Just as importantly, the entire informational package and/or graphical output of the pitch-tracking and player-tracking features can be networked and used by members of the press, by Diamond Vision on the JumboTron portion of the stadium scoreboard, by multiple television networks broadcasting out of the same stadium, or even by the teams themselves. SuperVisionIISM can also be linked to other stadiums throughout Major League Baseball, creating an instant relay of statistical scoring information to everyone connected with the game. And for fans around the world who want to get further into the game from the comfort of their own homes, SuperVisionIISM can be connected to the Internet for real-time broadcasting.
The new graphic portion of SuperVisionIISM is currently available to all television networks, while the tracking system and scoring mechanism will be completed for post-season play. SuperVisionIISM will be available to all television networks and all of Major League Baseball by opening day 1999.
Golf:
GolfProViewTM is very unique in the fact that it is used during television golf coverage as an "instant preview." GolfProViewTM considers the location of the ball on any putting-green and quickly calculates and displays the optimal putt-path to the hole before the golfer actually tries to sink the putt. Taking into account the contour, rises, dips and overall contour of the putting surface, GolfProViewTM calculates and displays the optimal putting path to the hole for any lie that may occur on the course greens. The GolfProViewTM system displays a computer-generated, three-dimensional model of the putting-green and its surroundings using digital imagery and contour mapping. The "instant preview" is displayed in real-time and is available as soon as the ball is spotted on the green and the immediate calculations are made.
GolfProViewTM made its television debut in 1995 during NBC's coverage of the World Cup of Golf from Shenzen, China on November 11 and 12. Since its premier, GolfProViewTM has been highlighted during four additional international tournaments. The Sports Network (TSN) contracted to use GolfProViewTM during its August 22-25, 1996 coverage of the Greater Vancouver Open. In 1996 GolfProViewTM was prominently displayed during the World Cup Tournament in Cape Town, South Africa and the Million Dollar Challenge from Sun City, South Africa. Most recently, GolfProViewTM was aired nationally throughout Canada during coverage of the 1997 Greater Vancouver Open. GolfProViewTM will again be a part of this year's Greater Vancouver Open, August 27-30, while negotiations with various networks and sponsors continue to take place. GolfProViewTM is currently being marketed for use on a per-tournament or per-season-tour basis. QuesTec management estimates the international market for GolfProViewTM at $6 million per year.
Tennis:
Similar to our SuperVisionSM pitch-tracking system for baseball, TennisProViewTM uses QuesTec's motion-tracking technology to capture live-action during tennis matches and instantly create a computer generated, three-dimensional perspective of the exact speed, trajectory, movement and location of the ball. Used by television networks as an illustrative replay option and to assist commentators in the analysis of each match, the three-dimensional output of TennisProViewTM can be shown from any angle or zoom level and can better show the true movement and location of the ball than any two-dimensional camera view. Because each shot is stored and can be instantly recalled individually or as part of a display group, Tennis ProViewTM can be used to illustrate "spray-charts" of serve locations, break down the difference between first and second serves and display the exact locations of certain shots with respect to the lines. In this way, TennisProViewTM complements televised coverage of professional tennis worldwide by providing commentators a definitive perspective in the booth and providing television networks with a unique replay option on serves, critical "kill shots" and close line calls. TennisProViewTM can also generate revenue for the television networks as a new medium for advertiser sponsorship.
The graphics portion of TennisProViewTM made its world debut during the 1998 Davis Cup from Hamburg, Germany. Because of the incredible speeds reached by the ball during tennis matches, enhanced ball-tracking technology is being developed based on QuesTec's patented SuperVisionSM pitch-tracking system. This tennis tracking system is due to be completed in the fourth quarter of 1998.
Football, Cricket and Other Sports:
QuesTec is currently developing a virtual-replay system for American Football in conjunction with Silicon Graphics. VRS FootballTM will graphically display each player's movement and location during every play, while also tracking the continually changing location of the football. As a computer-generated, three-dimensional model that can be viewed from any angle, VRS FootballTM will provide a unique perspective on the game while illustrating such things as receiver routes, blocking schemes and defensive coverage alignments. This system will provide television networks with a more comprehensive replay option and will assist commentators in diagraming key plays for fans at home. VRS FootballTM will clearly show the blown coverages that lead to huge pass-plays, the key blocks that spring running backs for huge gains, the missed blocks that result in crushing tackles, and every other detail that often goes unnoticed on the big plays.
On an international scale, QuesTec has received several requests to develop a similar system to SuperVisionSM, for use as an officiating tool and broadcast enhancement during cricket competition. The audience for cricket on an international basis is five-times that of baseball and the company plans to begin development on these products as soon as the neccesary resources are allocated.
In addition to baseball, golf, tennis, football and cricket other sports applications for QuesTec's technology include auto-racing, boat-racing, basketball, rugby and soccer.
Video Games and Internet Broadcasting:
QuesTec's technology can be adapted to video-games by utilizing database information captured and stored by our products at live sporting-events to create more realistic game-play. QuesTec's motion-capture technology and database information can also be used for real-time, interactive internet broadcasting, allowing television networks to produce live internet broadcasts in conjunction with their live television broadcasts. QuesTec is currently in talks with several video-game producers and television networks to develop such applications.
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