sensitive information, so it’s essential that suitable privacy protections are in place. Finally, there’s the human aspect to consider – the question of whether umpires and other officials will be replaced by automated systems, for example. This doesn’t seem likely, though, as the data is only as good as its interpreter. All in the details As tracking tech continues to make its mark on sport, experts largely agree that it’s heading towards skeletal tracking and more AI- enhanced metrics. “Data processing will get faster, there will be real-time analysis of games for the fans and AI will be able to predict the next move for players,” suggests Walker – most of which is already in motion. Denker believes that ‘radar, laser or Wi-Fi’ will be used to pick up more precise data. “AI could definitely add correction to our Spidercam tracking,” he adds, “if we train it on deviations.” He also guesses that tracking technology will continue to play a large role in the financial side of sports, providing sponsors and advertisers with valuable data. For Melvang, the obvious next step will be skeletal tracking, which is similar to motion capture. With a strong foundation in video games, skeletal tracking can replicate human movement in a 3D virtual environment. “In the future, we will be able to recreate a very real 3D experience,” Melvang enthuses. While traditional tracking technology relies on identifying a person’s centre of mass, skeletal tracking cameras follow multiple points on the human
body, thereby improving any potential gaps in accuracy. Hawk-Eye Innovations recently released its Skeletrack system, which uses optical tracking to monitor both player and ball movements. The technology captures 29 points on an athlete’s body, providing a high level of biomechanical detail. Like certain wearable devices, skeletal tracking can alert players and coaches to any preventable injuries, help refine performance, enrich the viewing experience with real-time data and generate digital replications for commercial and educational use. Intel’s 3DAT (3D Athlete Tracking) is a similar solution that debuted during the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021. Like Skeletrack, 3DAT captures skeletal tracking data, doing so via a video camera recording at a frame rate of 60fps. Bolstered by AI, the technology was designed to deliver insights about a specific athlete’s running style – their speed, velocity and acceleration, as well as their general mechanics. Whether it’s AI-based optical tracking, goal-line sensing or the delivery of real-time data, tracking technology has become an integral part of the sports experience for fans, coaches, athletes and officials. While it does have a few kinks still to sort, the technology provides highly useful information, helping players stay safe, fans engaged, referees correct and coaches confident. ‘The data doesn’t lie’, so it goes, and it usually doesn’t. Yet, despite the countless technical advancements, human judgement – imperfections and all included – remains at the centre of sport.
» There are more axes
that need to be taken into account – such as wind,
cable sag and so on.
It’s difficult to calculate the exact camera position in these cases «
error – relies on data accuracy, and we’ve all come to realise that AI often gets things wrong. The technology is also ignorant of context – a GPS signal could be temporarily lost, for instance, leading the data to tell a misleading story. When using cameras to track player positions, the device’s own location in relation to the pitch is also important. “Tracking using camera positions has become more accurate with higher-resolution encoders and alternative methods like LiDAR or 3D cameras,” begins Walker. But when using these systems, extraneous factors can come into play: “Some areas of concern come when you move the cable camera systems,” such as Spidercams, she tells us. “There are more axes that need to be taken into account – such as wind, cable sag and so on. It’s difficult to calculate the exact camera position in these scenarios.” Tracking technology also introduces privacy risks, depending on how the data is handled. This is especially true for athletes who track physiological, locational or other
PERFECT FORM Skeletal tracking in tennis processes every movement – from foot placement to racket swings
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