The artificial intelligence AI has revolutionized many aspects of our daily lives, and sports are no exception. At the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris 2024, this technology will play a major role, transforming the experience for both athletes and spectators. In this article, we will explore the applications of AI in this global event, from 8K live broadcasts to interactive platforms for discovering sports talent.
The Olympic Games will take place from July 26 to August 11, 2024, followed by the Paralympic Games, which will take place from August 28 to September 8 of the same year. Both events will be held in Paris, the capital of France. And their organizers have not been left behind in the race to harness AI.
“We are determined to exploit the enormous potential of artificial intelligence responsibly“, declared the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, to the press in London.
What are the applications of AI in sport and what role will it play in this year’s Games? El Comercio answers this question with the help of Sarah Vickers, head of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Office at Intel, official partner of Paris 2024 and responsible for the implementation of this technology at the event. In addition, we spoke with Christian de la Torre, director of the Physical Activity and Sports Sciences program at the Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola (USIL).
Personalizing workouts with AI
“AI certainly has the potential to personalize and improve athlete training and detection.“It is a tool that uses a variety of techniques and algorithms to collect and analyze data on the performance of athletes, in order to create personalized profiles for each one,” said Vickers.
The Intel spokeswoman explained that one of the most notable features of this platform is the 3D athlete tracking system, known as 3D Athlete Tracking (3DAT). This technology “Analyzes athletes without the need for sensors, markers or special suitsInstead, it uses AI and computer vision to analyze videos of athletes, identifying and tracking 22 specific points on the athlete’s body as they move.
“Unlike traditional motion capture methods, 3DAT applies a series of artificial intelligence models to extract detailed information about the athlete’s three-dimensional biomechanics,” He added. This allows the participant to obtain accurate data on their technique, performance and possible areas for improvement.
Christian de la Torre adds that AI is also key to injury prevention by analyzing the biomechanics of athletes.For example, a basketball player may be identified as putting greater pressure on his right leg when jumping, making it more prone to injury due to cumulative stress during games and training. To counter this, AI can suggest adjustments to jumping technique and balance weight bearing on both legs, thereby reducing the risk of injury.“, he pointed.
Immersive experiences
Another new feature is that Intel’s AI platform will also benefit Paris 2024 guests by allowing them to directly test 3DAT’s capabilities. “Invites visitors on an immersive journey to discover the Olympian within them,” Sarah Vickers explained.
The American tech company will offer an “interactive activation” that leverages artificial intelligence for fans. Through this experience, participants will perform activities and exercises with 3DAT, allowing them to understand their athletic abilities. AI will help them align themselves with the Olympic sports that are best suited for them.
The same technology was used in Senegal for talent scouting, allowing promising athletes to learn and test their abilities. Using simple physical tests and AI technology, potential athletes were identified without the need for talent scouts to travel.
“Talent recruitment is no longer just focused on the visual aspect, running well, jumping well or making a good technical gesture, but is also accompanied by artificial intelligence and the development of algorithms that allow us to predict,” the sports expert pointed out.
8K Live Streaming
Viewers at home will be able to enjoy the Olympic Games broadcast in 8K resolution. According to the Intel spokesperson, AI will make it possible to process and compress high-resolution video signals quickly and efficiently. Intel Xeon processors with Intel AI Deep Learning Boost technology will be used for this task.
This technology will also enable broadcasters to create personalised content quickly. For example, they will be able to automatically analyse recordings of sporting events and select the highlights.
In this regard, the sports specialist highlighted how technology has advanced in broadcasting over time. From the first indications at the 1960 Rome Olympics, with the first black and white broadcast, to the advances at the 1964 Tokyo Games, with colour broadcasts on televisions.
“These events marked the beginning of technological advances in the transmission of sporting events, signaling the need to improve both the development and the spectacle for viewers in real time“, held.
Inclusive Orientation
Artificial intelligence will also contribute to accessibility for visually impaired people at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. A smartphone application will be implemented that will guide the user using voice instructions when navigating through the venues.
“The process begins by using LiDAR devices, which are remote sensing systems that use laser pulses to measure distances in three-dimensional environments, which collect point clouds and images to create a digital model of physical space. A 2D plan is created from the point cloud and the images are processed with a computer vision AI model,” Vickers described.
AI will use the digital model of the space to guide users, facilitating their movement within busy buildings. Specifically, AI will locate the user in real time within the building and provide detailed instructions to reach their destination.
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As a reflection, Christian de la Torre revealed that artificial intelligence is a useful tool in sport to make objective decisions, organize events and improve real-time analysis. However, it must be used ethically and as a support, without dehumanizing sport.