Artificial Intelligence Software Will Track Athletes’ Speed at 2020 Tokyo Olympics – runnersworld.com

• Intel will be using artificial intelligence software to will track certain aspects of an athlete’s performance, such as speed and place, during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the company announced in a press release.
• The technological advancements hope to improve the viewer experience.
• Other innovations include facial recognition software and virtual reality experiences for fans.

Ever feel like the broadcasts for running meets lack a few bells and whistles that you may notice during other sporting events? If so, Tokyo 2020 is hoping to change that—and revamp the viewer experience with artificial technology innovations.

On Wednesday, Intel a new partnership with International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games, and as part of it, also revealed some of the tech they will have at the event to offer broadcasters in Tokyo next July.

As a result, track and field fans should be in for a very different viewing experience than they are used to.

For starters, the tech giant is debuting what they call 3D Athlete Tracking (3DAT). Though only a couple of its capabilities were announced, it will essentially use cameras with artificial intelligence and computer vision to show fans near real-time data during a race. It will provide biomechanical analysis of things like athlete speed, who is in the lead, and distance traveled/distance remaining. This will be displayed on screen during the race and during replays using overlays.

“Intel is focused on delivering world-class technology integrations at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to improve the experience for athletes, attendees, viewers, and Games staff while also demonstrating how technology can transform businesses. We are excited to make the first of a series of announcements about our role in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games,” said Rick Echevarria, general manager of Intel’s Olympics Program, . “The Winter Games in PyeongChang represented our first collaboration with the IOC and we look forward to extending and deepening that relationship in the years ahead.”

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But 3DAT won’t be the only tech on display for running fans. A virtual reality experience will be available for certain events, where fans with VR headsets can get a view that is billed as a more immersive experience than just watching on TV. A similar experience was offered for select events at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games.

Also on hand at the event will be a facial recognition software called NeoFace. This tech will be used to identify more than 300,000 people including athletes, volunteers, media, and other staff at various entry points of venues and accommodations. The hope is this prevents risks of fraud and reduces long ID-check lines.

It’s hard to say what all of this additional tech will do to the Games, especially since we are still 10 months out—and Intel is expected to debut even more by then.

The changes could ring in a new era of sports broadcasting, or it could put a damper on the experience, like when ESPN’s Monday Night Football when fans voiced their outrage.

We’ll just have to wait until next July to find out.

Gear & News Editor Drew covers a variety of subjects for Runner’s World and Bicycling, and he specializes in writing and editing human interest pieces while also covering health, wellness, gear, and fitness for the brand.