Playbook for the Future- Medium Term

 

Hello Sports Fans! 

Sports is likely to change in a few  categories in the next 5-10 years, including  the introduction of spectrum of reality technology and the rise of eSports in videogames. In today’s blog, I want to go over these new advancements and what the future could be with their impact.

Creating a different reality is hardly new with the creation of books to movies and now to virtual reality. Virtual reality is “use of computer technology to create a simulated environment” (Bardi). This means that the surrounding environment is engineered by a computer and different than that of the physical realm. A person is transformed into a new world. In the movie, “Ready Player 1“,  a whole new world is created and thousands of people are a part of it using the advanced technology of virtual reality. Glasses are used to transport you into the virtual universe, but also a suit is made so that you can feel what you feel virtually. In relation to sports, this could change the physical contact of a sport. Sports could be held in a different universe, using different avatars that might be nothing like our own bodies, thus reaching beyond our physical limits.

Another, more down to earth, advanced technology is the innovation of augmented reality.  AR  “brings elements of the virtual world, into our real world, thus enhancing the things we see, hear, and feel” (Reality). Meaning that through a lens of some sort, (phone, tablet, glasses) virtual objects could be sitting on physical objects. Some useful examples of this are in Snapchat and Pokemon Go. In both of these popular apps, people are introduced to how augmented reality can be used in everyday routine. In regard to sports, a fan can attend a live event and look through their mobile phone to see facts and stats on their favorite players or animations to entertain or safety precautions within the building.

Talking to a sports fan who loves the live experience, but doesn’t have the bank account to accommodate, augmented reality might be the answer. In the next couple of years, Microsoft HoloLens is looking to transform the stay at home watching game experience. Using the HoloLens, a fan could watch 3D replays on a nearby coffee table, stand next to a life size hologram of their favorite athlete, see stats while watching and even place bets during the game. Microsoft’s HoloLens “comes with the promise of not only synthesizing and integrating 3D virtual objects over the real environment around the user in real time, but also anchoring these holograms to certain objects in the world surrounding them or otherwise interacting with said objects” (Stropnik). This implies that animations will interact with the physical environment, such as an hologram athlete bursting through a wall or the playing field on a coffee table. There isn’t much you need in the kit, “the basic architecture of our solution consists of the data provider’s server with sports statistics, the mock server, the Hololens AR glasses and a PC/laptop with the display” (Stropnik). The HoloLens is the next big thing in augmented reality as it is comfortable to wear and has fantastic spacial mapping and eye contact gestures recognition.

 

---

The next topic I want to press ‘start’ on is videogames. ESports is a “form of sports where the primary aspects of the sport are facilitated by electronic systems; the input of players and teams as well as the output of the eSports system are mediated by human-computer interfaces” (Hamari). In short it is competitive gaming. The debate is if eSports is considered a real sport. It is very controversial. Under an Instagram poll, “Is eSports a real sport?” the result was a landslide for ‘no’.

Poll made on Instagram about eSports being a considered a sport.

I consider it an extension of sports as it is “a mental game, we have to think fast and strategize. We have coaches who drill us and we train for about four hours, four to five days a week,” said by Josh Bruce a Mackay eSports player (Cureton). ESports allows players to not be limited by their physical ability, but be challenged by the mentality of each sport. Now when I think of eSports, I think of Madden and NBA versions, but there is so much more. ESports can be molded into any game being played for hours and watched by thousands. The most popular ones according to the Dallas Observer, includes League of Legends, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, Dota 2, Overwatch and Super Smash Brothers. Video games have become a daily trend in today’s world and there is no stopping it, just embracing it. Sports today is

There isn’t an immediate goal for eSports to become part of the Olympics, but there has been some talk. According to BBC.com, “Esports will be a medal event at the 2022 Asian Games – a traditional sporting event – while the Premier League, Uefa and Formula 1 are among the sporting organisations who have launched their own esports leagues”, which is a start. Maybe in 10 years time, someone will win an Olympic gold medal for eSports.

 

---

In both of these categories, sports is the playing field for new developments made to be used in everyday life for a better life. Glasses that can take you anywhere in the virtual world can be the new way of travel. See the world without leaving the comforts of your home. Holography can be the new way to communicate. Generations to come might never know texting or an email. Years from now, an introduction of eSports in the Olympics could redefine the definition of a sport, not necessarily requiring the physical part.

As an addition to the post I also want to talk about sports and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). According to Techopedia, artificial intelligence is “an area of computer science that emphasises the creation of intelligent machines that work and react like humans. Some of the activities computers with aritfical intelligence are designed for include, speech recognition, learning, planning and problem solving” (Techopedia). AI is rising in the realm of sports. Firstly in the subject of advertising. Many sport companies use the AI algorithms for viewers experience. Much like Facebook and Amazon, sport channels are also using ‘cookies’ per say, so that they know what the viewer is interested in. One specific AI is a chatbox. ‘Give Me Sport’ is a website that has heaps of sports information, and uses a one dimensional chat box. The builders of the website are working on creating a more intelligent chatbox, recording massive amounts of data and using content that the fan is interested in. So that the user’s experience will be pleasurable. (Campaign) AI is also assisting in the referee realm. According to the academic journal by P. Morkhat, AI is better at refereeing than humans. Morkhat and colleagues have developed a “robotic referee” that is more equipped to judge sports. A robotic referee is a “physical machine equipped with lasers, high-resolution video-cameras, advanced information and communication technologies and modern artificial intelligence elements with the relevant hardware and software for a high-quality refereeing service in sport events, including football matches” (Morkhat). These machines take to the sky with a 360 degree view of the playing field that have camera lens better than the human eye. The robotic referee can process imperfect data and secure high efficiency data at top speed. (Morkhat). The future of AI is to fully replace referees. Games will be more fair as AI machines are unbiased and programmed to give all data at advanced communication.

References

Bardi, Joe. (2019) “What is Virtual Reality?”. Marxent.com  https://www.marxentlabs.com/what-is-virtual-reality/

Cureton, Aidan. (2018). “Video-games-the future of sport?”. Daily Mercury. https://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/video-games-the-future-of-sport/3389488/

Gallagher,  Danny. (2017). “You Think It’s Just a Game? 15 of eSports’ Most Popular Video Games”. Dallas Observer. https://www.dallasobserver.com/arts/15-of-esports-most-popular-video-games-10075907

Hamari, Juho & Sjöblom, Max. (2017). What is eSports and why do people watch it?. Internet Research. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/306286205_What_is_eSports_and_why_do_people_watch_it/citation/download

Liberatore, Stacy. (2016). “A quaterback on your couch and replays that take over your room: Microsoft’s HoloLens demo shows the future of sports”. Dailymail.com https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3430767/A-quarterback-couch-replays-room-Microsoft-s-HoloLens-demo-shows-future-sports.html#i-f0da4ad9aafbc490

“Snap Betting Big on AR Advertising” Youtube.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRyy1GLO8ks

“Snorlaz fless in new Pokemon Go augmented reality mode”. Youtube.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i6zXHtrIh4

“Ultimate Guide to Understand Augmented Reality Technology”. Reality.com https://www.realitytechnologies.com/augmented-reality/

Playbook for the Future: Short Term

 

Hello, Sports Fans!

A digital artifact is created through media platforms in order to persuade, inform or bring issues to light. Artifacts include podcasts, video series, audio or animation. In my communication course, Future Cultures, I have been asked to create a digital artifact and relate it to the future. I have chosen my digital artifact to be a series of videos, 3 in specific, on the future of sports. There will be a short term (1-2 years), medium term (5-10 years) and a long term (25-50 years) videos. These videos will inform you on different technologies being developed, various features that will enhance the sport experiences, how sports effects the society and fan culture.

---

History and Evolution

Sports had to start somewhere. In our case, it started in Ancient Greece with the first Olympic Games. These games included chariot racing, wrestling and javelin throwing. The games were in honor of the god Zeus. It would be held in Olympia, in a sanctuary named after Mt. Olympus.

I am going to go over  the evolution of just a few of the most popular sports.

Photo Credits

The game of baseball was invented by Alexander Cartwright in 1837. The roots of this sport are from a game in Britain. Originally the baseball was made out of horse hide and later changed in 1976 to cowhide that covers wool yarn. There was also a count on how many balls were used during a game, five to seven used in one game in the 1900-1920. Now the average is 8-10 dozen balls in one game. The bat has also gone through some changes. Starting off as a flat stick then changed to round in 1893. When the National League started there were no weight, height or circumference requirements. Now a standard wooden bat is made up of ash, maple or birch, a width of 2.61 inches and 33-34 inches in length. In 1912 the outfield was shorten in order to get more home runs to excited players and fans, from 488 feet to 420 feet. One of the most recent advancements in baseball is the use of technology. In 2002 video replays were an option, to track the pitch speed and to challenge umpire calls. As a result umpires are more accurate in their calls (Blast).

Soccer, aka football, is a world known game. The English, Football Association, are credited for creating the rules, unable to trip people and unable to touch the ball with your hands. In 1891 the penalty kick was introduced. In the 1970 World Cup, red and yellow cards were introduced. (Athnet) Because of the overwhelming popularity of American Football, association football was nick named soccer and it just stuck (Cunningham).

Photo Credits 

A version of volleyball started in 1895 called Mintonette. This was played with two teams on opposing side of a net with unlimited amount of people and touches before it goes over the net. In 1896 the some more rules were enforced and the game was changed to volleyball, as you volley the ball over the net . The Philippines introduced the terms ‘set’ and ‘spiker’ in 1916. The rules were then changed to each team has only three touches to get it over the net, in 1920. Volleyball grew very popular, as in 1951 over 50 million people were playing in over 60 countries. (Jindani)

---

Sport Analytics

Sport analytics is the “collection of relevant, historical, statistics that when properly applied can provide a competitive advantage to a team or individual.” (Wiki). This method has been around for decades but in the recent year it has skyrocketed with the invention of technology. For example the testing of skin interfaced wearable systems that will be able to monitor an athletes physiology, bio mechanics and movements.  Conventional wearable devices such as wristbands, chest straps and athletic clothing are seen as too bulky and do not accurately represent the true data of the athlete. This new skin interfaced wearable system will offer “real-time understanding of sports performance and
recovery” (Ray). The key is to replace “traditional electronic materials with those that are intrinsically
stretchable, using either organic or inorganic chemistries, or by utilizing engineered composites that
combine ultra-thin, typically nanoscale wires, membranes, ribbons or platelets of established, high-performance materials (e.g. silicon, metals) with soft
substrates/superstrates, yields systems that can bend,
stretch, and flex” (Ray).

The different devices used for each physiological characteristic; motion, muscle activity, temperature, respiration, heart rate and blood pressure. (Ray)

These devices are great for tracking an athletes performance and rehabilitation. There are still some work to be done as the idea of power management and human body sweat are complex issues. Skin interfaced wearable devices are still beneficial as they analyze the body’s physiological and bio mechanical habits, thus enlightening us on how our body works.

---

Athletes and Social Media

Photo Credits

As we just finished talking about the body of the athlete, we can now move on to the athletes followers. Social media is here to stay and has many aspects toward an athlete

It has changed the status, performance and the person of an athlete. It takes a different kind of mental strength to deal with social media abuse and as an athlete it can effect the way you perform. The question is if athletes should have social media or not. The answer is that social media needs to be managed, “it is as ingrained in our society as sugar and alcohol. More so recently because it is now seen as an essential tool of success in many walks of business. Sport being a major one” (Towey).

It is hard to ignore social media as it is involved in almost every aspect of our lives. One of the good things about social media is the opportunity to promote yourself or your brand. Many athletes take this chance to increase their brand and sponsors.

Athletes also use social media to connect with their fans. They can post about their personal lives to be more relatable to fans.  Fans, on the other hand, have the opportunity to follow any athlete they want. They can get the inside scoop into their lives.

Athletes have become a role model through social media. There is a debate of whether they should be or not, but the fact is that teenagers are looking up to athletes and allowing them to influence their decisions.

---

2020 Olympic Games

Sports is really a testing ground for new inventions and technology to be tested. The Olympics are a great showcase for these new advancements. The upcoming Olympic Games are going to be in Tokyo Japan. It is said to be the most “innovative and technologically advanced sporting event ever held” (Ryall).  Japan plans to have a village of robots helping international visitors with transportation or direction. Multiple devices, such necklaces, watches, phones, are being used to be instant translators. The plan for autonomous cars are already on its way. Toyota and Nissan are already working on these driverless cars. Broadcasting will be done from drones flying high above the stadium and in 8K resolution working on 5G internet. Japan is planning to ‘Go Green’ with algae fueled airlines. This will take out 70% of the carbon dioxide emissions. Speaking of gases, Japan hopes to have hydrogen based city. The opening ceremony is going to reach passed the skies as Japan plans to create their own meteor shower (Futurism).

These spectacular advances are not only for sport events. Instant translators can be used throughout daily life. By this time next year we could have the power to understand what someone is saying in a different language instantaneously. Robots and people living harmoniously. By next year instead of waiter taking your order, a robot will come to the table to serve you. Lets just hope they don’t get a mind of their own. Same with driverless cars! No more drunk drivers. Cars will swiftly pick people up and drop people off. The testing of these devices will be held at the games and by next year we will see if they are up to par. If they work imagine what could happen within 10 years.

Next year seems so far away, but a wise person once said the future is now.

Amanda Bustos

 

 

 

Pitch

I will create three videos about the future of sport. The combination of the videos will produce a timeline of the next 2 years to the next 50 years. In between those videos I will do blog posts on WordPress and social media posts on Instagram and Facebook. To reach my audience I will make sure that I prepare a survey and organize many polls. The significance has a sense of unity as to use our imagination to potentially set the groundwork for future generations. Sports is a testing ground where new technologies and strategies are used. Let’s test the limits of our imagination.