Technology in Sports!
Technology today, is no stranger to our daily life. We now live in a world where we require technology to carry out even our very basic needs. Hence, it is not surprising that the general assumption of Gen-Z is that technology makes everything better. But when it comes to the question:
Does technology make the right decisions?
People are still in doubt!
Today, planes and cars operate in autopilot mode, robots perform surgeries, computers predict diseases and talking humanoid robots walk the planet. All these are examples which would normally, on any day, convince the commoner into believing in the idea “Tech for the better”. But when it comes to sports, the story is quite different. Let us explore this in detail.
In this article, I am adopting a different approach. First I will introduce you to some popular sports/games and mention how technology has affected them. Then, we shall look at some of the modern technologies and their use in various sports.
Lets start things off with - Cricket:
For those not familiar with cricket: a game of cricket today, would have 2 umpires on the field - and one off the field- the 3rd umpire. When situations which put the 2 on-field umpires in doubt arises, the third umpire is called upon to make the decision. Third umpire analyses the various video footages at his disposal and tries to make the best decision possible.
Recently, a new set of tools were added to cricket, under a system named — Decision Review System (DRS). Though ICC (International Cricket Council) and other prominent boards of various nations implemented it soon enough, BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India), refused to use it in Team India’s matches.
Before knowing why, you should know what exactly DRS is and how it works.
DRS grants the teams the power to challenge the on-field umpire’s call. Each team would be able to “review” a fixed number of time, in an innings, the number varying from format to format. In case of a review, the third umpire re-analyses the on-field decision with footages as well as added technologies namely — ball-tracking [and hotspot, RTS (included recently)] to arrive at the best decision.
BCCI was of the opinion that the trajectory of the ball cannot be accurately determined once it has hit the pad, in case of a leg-before-wicket appeal. Several others raised a concern that the DRS took away the traditional importance and power of the on-field umpire and hence had second thoughts on its implementation.
Today, even BCCI uses DRS, not just for international cricket, but also for IPL matches!
What led to the change?
One reason could be the increase in frame-rates, and hence the increase in data for prediction.
Hawk-Eye created Ultra Edge. Ultra Edge is a sound based, edge-detection system that can identify the point of impact more accurately. When there is a sound of ball hitting pad or bat, it can identify the frame in which the ball hits the pad. ~ESPNcricinfo
But Ultra Edge ain’t a solution when the ball is missed by the operator. For locating such points:
Hawk-Eye has added another safeguard to its system: data from every delivery is recorded and can be retrieved in case it’s needed to build a predicted path of the delivery. ~ESPNcricinfo
Next up - Football:
Controversies and the game of football are no strangers. Sometimes it gets to such a point where you start feeling bad for the refs! Two main technologies are used in football:
- Goal Line Technology
- VAR — Video Assistant Referee
Goal Line Technology:
Goal-line technology (sometimes referred to as a Goal Decision System) is the use of electronic aid to determine if a goal has been scored or not. In detail, it is a method used to determine when the ball has completely crossed the goal line in between the goal-posts and underneath the crossbar with the assistance of electronic devices and at the same time assisting the referee in awarding a goal or not. ~Wikipedia
It is widely accepted in all the major leagues and international tournaments around the world. It gives convincing results and hence, its legitimacy has, but rarely been questioned.
Video Assistant Referee:
The video assistant referee (VAR) is an assistant referee in association football who reviews decisions made by the head referee with the use of video footage and headset for communication specifically in order to minimize human errors causing substantial influence on match results. ~Wikipedia
VAR can be used to confirm decisions in cases of offsides, red cards, penalties, and even to check whether a goal is valid or not.
Interruptions in football are not at all pleasant, as what makes the game fascinating is its flow. Adapting VAR in a way which does not cause any interruption to the flow has been and still is a major challenge. Ever since VAR was introduced to the game, offsides and penalties are given/not given by millimeters. Some argue that this is against the feel of football as a goal, no matter how it comes, can potentially turn a match on its head.
Tennis:
Tennis uses an implementation of Hawk-Eye called electronic line-calling system. The implementation of this technology has significantly reduced the pressure on the officials who are officiating the match. This technology precisely records the position of the ball on the court and hence erases any sort of confusion on whether the ball was “in” or “out”.
Now, let’s take a look at the main technologies and explore some additional tech as well.
Hawk-Eye Technology:
Hawk-Eye is a system used to trace the trajectory of a ball. Hawk-Eye uses a camera to capture high number of frames per second. The information collected by the camera is analyzed by a computer and then sent to referee/umpire.
Data-Tracking
Certain games like Rugby, makes use of sensors to gather information about the players’ physical condition on the field.
Virtual Imaging:
In swimming, Virtual Imaging is used to create a superimposed line on the surface of water to show existing world records.
DiveCam:
DiveCams are used in swimming to film the diver’s motion.
Radar Guns:
In tennis, serve speed is measured via Radar Guns. Two radar guns are placed at the baseline of each side of the court. Once the ball is hit, these guns record the ball-speed.
Foam Technology:
The use of foam technology in football is always fascinating to watch. The referee measures the adequate distance from the ball and draws a line with his spray. The players, line up behind the line, and in seconds, the line vanishes!
Ever wondered how it works?
The spray-can contains about 80% water and 20% butane gas with a small amount of surfactant. When released from the can, the butane expands due to pressure changes, forming small drops of butane covered with water. Eventually the butane evaporates, leaving only water and surfactant residue on the ground. The marks disappear after about one minute.
Conclusion:
Implementation and adaption of technology in sports is and always has been a major challenge. But once it has been done, we can observe that it increases the quality of the decision making process. Yes, there is always a scope of improvement. Even VAR, which was not at all pleasant when it was first introduced, is now becoming a vital element in the game of football.
Hence, when it comes to the field of sports - the trio of efficiency, accuracy and adaptability governs the success of the technology.
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