Let me start with a cliché statement.
‘We are amidst a technological revolution’
Don’t worry; my article won’t be as cliché ;). You must be living in a fool’s paradise if you don’t agree with the above statement. We all know how technology has transformed our lives, it has made it convenient, global and most importantly connected. So to end my lecture on how technology-changed our lives, I would like to start my lecture on how technology-changed sports industry.
Today when you tune into any sports channel and if you’re on the lookout you’d find hundreds highly sophisticated technological driven things. There were more beliefs of a Zombie Apocalypse than a ball tracking technology like Hawk Eye. With these unprecedented achievements in the field of technology today we are witnessing what I’d like to call it, ‘Technology Wonderland’. Let’s dig into some of the most innovative technologies currently consumed in sports.
Hawk Eye -
To explain in layman’s terms what is Hawk Eye, It tracks the trajectory of an object used in sports and display a profile of its statistically most likely path. Cricket, Tennis, Ruby, Badminton are few of the sports where it is primarily used. With the possibility of tracking of the ball this technology has led to error-free judgments by the referees and umpires. In the past often umpires and referees would come under heavy scrutiny by the public for wrong calls. It uses highly advanced cameras around the field of play and captures visual images and timing data to evolve an error free almost precise judgment. It was first used in Cricket in a test match between England and Pakistan in 2001.
Timing Systems -
Gone are days where stopwatches were used to track timings in a race. With racing reaching to an un parallel league of advancement, it was necessary to introduce new ways of timing systems. The primary system works using a transponder fitted in the car. It constantly broadcasts the speed and lap times, and a timing loop build into the track communicates with the transponder to gather the relevant data. Similar loops are present at the end of each sector of the track, and at the start and end of the pit lane. The timing systems can be as precise till 0.001 seconds. With sometimes the difference between winning and losing a few tenths of a second this system has eradicated manual flaws of time keeping.
There’s one thing a sportsperson always dreads and is afraid of is ‘Injuries’. They’re like nightmares. Injuries not only keep you out of play, but sometimes can be career ending and life threatening. With the help of high-tech sensors sports trainer can measure and evaluate real time performances and can keep an eye on the athlete’s body metrics such as breathing, heart rate, and hydration. These metrics not only helps in being a roadblock to injuries but also radiates the performance analysis which helps to focus on the areas of weakness and build your program according to it. With fitness being a major chunk in the pie, these tracking software are worth its weight in gold.
Video Games -
This one is for the fans. Technology hasn’t just made the sport better for the athletes it has also made the sport better for the fans. Not everyone can experience the scoring of the winning goal like Christiano Ronaldo or scoring a hundred against the Aussies like Sachin Tendulkar, But sometimes video games allows you just to create that ‘Minnie Me’ feelings of the same. FIFA, Formula 1, EA Cricket, NBA are few of the major sporting simulators which are closest to reality you can get. The improved gaming experience brought on by advancements in technology has made this happen.
Also Read: Applications of Artificial Intelligence in the huge world of Sports
High Definition Viewing -
What’s better than sitting on your couch on a lousy Sunday afternoon with snacks and enjoying a game of football in Ultra HD? It doesn’t get better than this. With the ever increasing ticket prices, people like me always prefer to stay at home and watch the game. With crystal clear quality of sound and picture, your home could be no less than an actual stadium. Although nothing matches the atmosphere of a witnessing a live match, but HD isn’t a bad choice to consider if you want to save a few dollars.
