Technology is playing a definitive role in the evolution of sports. Both from the perspective of sportspersons and viewers, the experience is getting better.

FREMONT, CA: Technology has been fundamental to the improvement and developments of sports, just like it has in different spheres of life. From incorporating video referrals to deploying sensors, technology is altering sports for the better in several ways. Sporting organizers across the world are now embracing new sports technologies to support athletes and officiate games with better degrees of control and accuracy. Listed here are six innovative technologies that have found application in the field of sports.

• Facial Recognition Technology

Deep learning and computer vision have helped implement facial recognition technology in sporting domains. Today, sports and entertainment venues are increasingly deploying this technology to improve security aspects, reduce ticket fraud, and create new ways for advertising and marketing. Facial recognition is not valuable only from the security perspective but also enables organizers to gain insights from an accurate study of the demographics.

• Prosthetic Devices

Gone are the days when people having physical disabilities had no way of taking part in physical sports. Today, the evolution of prosthetic technology has enabled physically challenged people to compete in games at global levels. The unification of technology and cutting edge materials has driven the industry to accept a new definition for athletes and sportsperson that goes beyond the conventional norms.

• Wearable Technology

Smart wearables, tracking sensors, and connected devices are gaining popularity in the sports industry. The sweeping adoption of wearables can be attributed to the immense volume of performance and health-related data that these devices help athletes, coaches, and sports professionals accumulate. The speed of adoption of this technology is not reducing anytime soon, and it is going beyond tracking chips that are integrated into sports equipment or traditional wearables such as smartwatches and activity trackers. Wearable technology is experiencing an expansion into smart sports clothing and electronic textile, such as self-heating jackets. Tech giants are busy, innovating smart material and interactive garments.

Check Out : TOP WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY STARTUPS

• HANS Device

Safety is one of the central criteria in sports, and several technological advancements revolve around safety. The Head and Neck Support (HANS) device used in motorsports makes use of technology to save the lives of riders in the case of a crash. These gears contain a U-shaped device placed behind the neck, and two arms placed over the pectoral muscles of the chest. It is connected to the helmet with the help of anchors and is supported at the shoulders. A HANS device safeguards the head from going back and forth in a crash while restricting extreme twisting movements.

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI has seen incomparable adoption in the sphere of sports. Especially in the analytical sector, AI has created waves that continue to impact sporting domains massively. Assistive AI is one of the most prolific areas in sports technology, driven by the maturing progress in the field of sports. It helps athletes, teams, and coaches drive through elaborate practice sessions or game analysis and present them with actionable insights that are backed by relevant and factual data. Today, AI-based sports analytics have found use in finding new talent, improving gameplans in real-time to beat opponents, reducing injuries, and boosting individual performance.

• Hawk-Eye Technology

High-end cameras located above the field of play to are utilized in analyzing the flight and trajectory of an object being used in sports events. This technology has found applications across sports like tennis, cricket, rugby, and football. This technology makes error-free judgments possible even while play is on, and it decreases the criticism and pressure on the on-field umpires and referees. By analyzing the movement of the ball, deciding wickets, goals, and fouls becomes easier.

As eventful is sports is, the inclusion of advanced technology is making it even better. Be in on the field or off the field, technology offers value-addition to several aspects in the sporting industry.