The Tech Revolutionizing the Olympics: High-Speed Cameras, Sensors, and AI

Milan, Italy - Ekhbary News Agency

The Tech Revolutionizing the Olympics: High-Speed Cameras, Sensors, and AI

Athletes competing in this year’s Winter Olympic Games in Milan will do so surrounded by a complex web of technology designed to elevate the competition and spectator experience. This intricate system includes AI-enabled cameras, precision stopwatches, advanced sensors, and fast-flying drones capable of tracking performance down to fractions of a second. This cutting-edge timekeeping system, the culmination of nearly a century of relentless innovation, is fundamentally reshaping how viewers at home experience the Games. It is also playing an increasingly significant role in how elite athletes train and, in some instances, may even determine the ultimate winners and losers.

At the heart of this precision is Omega, the Swiss watchmaker that has served as the Olympics’ official timekeeper since the 1932 Los Angeles Games. For this year's event, Omega has deployed cameras capable of capturing an astonishing 40,000 frames per second, enabling definitive "photo finishes" in speed skating and other time-dependent races. Concurrently, sophisticated computer-vision systems and artificial intelligence models are meticulously analyzing the vast streams of camera data. This processing generates real-time, up-to-the-second graphics that break down an athlete’s speed, split times, and positioning. Commentators and analysts can then leverage this granular information to provide deeper insights into the significance of remarkable athletic feats or surprising blunders, making the Games more accessible to audiences who may not be intimately familiar with the nuances of each sport.

"Computer Vision, which can capture and display a continuous range of data throughout competitions, such as live speeds, jump heights, and even the angle of a Figure Skater’s blade," Omega shared with Popular Science. "Such information is taking viewers inside the sports like never before, pinpointing where events are won or lost, and deepening the understanding of the Olympic Games that everyone is watching."

The new camera technology will be particularly prominent during this year’s figure skating events. An array of 14 8K-resolution cameras strategically positioned around the rink will continuously capture skaters’ movements. This data is then fed into an advanced AI system managed by Swiss Timing, Omega’s official timekeeping division. This system constructs a 3D visual model of each athlete, meticulously measuring motion along three axes. It tracks crucial variables such as jump height, airtime, landing speed, and other factors that can significantly influence a judge’s score. Furthermore, the model can precisely assess a skater’s blade angle and determine if a full rotation was completed during a spin – both critical elements that can impact the final score.

All of this complex data is processed in real time and translated onto the screen as dynamic heat maps and visualizations, providing viewers at home with an unprecedented level of insight. To illustrate the speed of this technological marvel, Swiss Timing CEO Alain Zobrist recently informed IEEE Spectrum that the time required to measure data on the ice and render it as an on-screen graphic is less than one-tenth of a second – faster than the blink of an eye.

Omega reports that its advanced camera technology has already proven instrumental in determining outcomes in several position-dependent events, including Cross Country Skiing and Short Track Speed Skating. The camera’s remarkable ability to capture 40,000 images per second allows it to confirm the minuscule margins separating racers at the finish line with accuracy far exceeding human visual perception. For instance, in Heat 8 of the Men’s 1,000-meter Short Track Speed Skating event, athletes crossed the finish line separated by a mere 0.0002 seconds. Similarly, in Quarterfinal 5 of the Women’s Cross-Country Skiing Sprint Classic, Norwegian skier Milla Grosberghaugen finished just 0.04 seconds ahead of Sweden’s Johanna Hagstroem. As Omega noted, "This margin was the difference between qualification to the next round, and not."

Perhaps one of the most visually striking impacts of this new technology is unfolding on the mountains during "big air" events. A new suite of sensors, affixed to the underside of athletes' skis and snowboards, continuously collects data on speed, acceleration, height, distance, and subtle variations in body positioning while airborne. These sensors also provide crucial insights into the precise positioning of an athlete’s equipment before and after takeoff – vital details that coaches can meticulously review to help their athletes gain a competitive edge. Previously, competitors wore sensors strapped around their ankles or integrated into their clothing, which sometimes proved distracting or suffered from interference due to fabric material. The implementation of lightweight sensors directly on skis or snowboards aims to resolve these issues and enhance the integrity of the competition by mitigating potential cheating.

Ekhbary News Agency