Augmented reality future in sports and cyborg athletes
(this is a re-post from a May 2014 post from my old blog)
I know someone who works in designing and managing an augmented reality system for a company. I got cut off quickly when I mentioned Google Glass, forget Google Glass he ordered; we already have lenses, as in micro chipped contact lenses that can be placed directly onto your eye. Augmented reality will be part of your eye, imperceptibly; with the microchip is part of the lens.
Augmented reality is coming, and the lenses will become a part of some sport soon, somewhere (the Quarterback in NFL being the obvious guess), and then a slightly longer matter of time until they arrive in football.
What does it mean for the player, coach and spectator?
For the player: increased performance, for the spectator: ability to be on the field with the players through their eyes, and for business: huge profits and revenues.
Players will be able to have and see information around the field of almost unlimited scope. Which players are behind them without looking, which players have run the most, who’s getting tired. It will enhance almost all spatial awareness and what is happening on the field. Players will be sent live information about what is happening on the field; computer and IT departments will become as important as the coaches, who can deliver information to the players in the best, clearest and most efficient way.
Players can be alerted when they’re about to be tackled from their blindside, when a player is offside, which player is on a yellow card, when a player is open for a pass, when and where a player has made a good run, how far away a player is in meters. Players who are looking to receive the pass can be alerted exactly on the field a long pass is going to land, whether they are offside, location of all opposing players from a top down view. What information gets streamed to who will be up to the creativity and choice of the coaches.
Fans, spectators will be able to be a part of all of this. Fans will be able to look through the eyes of any player they like, experience the game as their favourite player is. This has huge commercial potential
Coaches will have instant ability to look at a player and see how far he’s run, any stat he likes floating above all players heads at all times. Coaches will be able to see patterns of play, areas of play, areas of space, fatigue levels, heart rates, sweat rates, body temp, and hydration levels.
A.R is already in use in some sports today in a basic sense. The BBC already use it as do many other sports networks, the first down line across the pitch in NFL, rugby and cricket use it to display advertising on the pitch, and in computer generated replay situations. But A.R through the personal, live streamed contact lens will revolutionize sports, perhaps within the decade.
