How the Use of Technology in Sports is Changing the Game

Technology and it’s usage affects every aspect of our life and will continue to do so as it is always evolving and changing. The vast field of sports is no different, and tremendous progress has been made in the last few years. If you’re interested in a career in sports – whether as an athlete or something else – it is vital to keep abreast of the going on’s in the industry. There is a lot of scope in the research and development side of sports technology if you’re interested. Sports technology makes sports safer, better, more interesting, and more viewable and appealing. Here are some of the different ways and categories in which technology has changed the game.

Health and Tracking

Devices that can monitor the person’s health – such as sleeping patterns, fitness levels, stress, heartbeat and so on – are now fairly common. These have paved the way for more effective individual training and personalised nutrition and diet plans for athletes, which are of utmost importance. More precise measurement of training also helps in getting scouted by professional teams. Sports like Formula-1, swimming, and cycling, already measure personal bests and competitions within a thousandth of a second. Individual statistics based on performances help the coach refine the team’s gameplay and strategies. There is a lot of development in technology that reads your DNA sequence and suggests your ideal sport, workout plans, and nutrition.

The Viewing Experience

How people watch and experience games has changed dramatically – both in real-time consequences for the sport, and watching as part of an audience. There are usually multiple cameras all over the field, capturing every action and providing close-ups of various players in critical moments. These make the viewing experience more personal and interactive, drawing in a more extensive fan base. An example of technology useful for in-game decisions is the Hawk-Eye computer vision system used in cricket, football, tennis, rugby, and badminton. Sony created it for watching cricket on television, and it tracks the ball from different angles, providing a three-dimensional view of its trajectory. It has since been accepted in various sports as an impartial second opinion for decision making. Instant replay of contention moments has also been immensely useful for judging.

Stadium and Field

While the stadiums recently have been empty, they are usually tasked with enticing fans to watch the game live instead of from the comfort of home. They have typically used enhanced technology as a significant draw and provided utilities like access to high-speed internet, wearable electronic tickets, earphones that provide live commentary, player information and statistics, and extensive use of biometrics and facial recognition for various amenities. In light of the pandemic, other technologies have taken the spotlight. These include streaming matches on VR headsets, choosing which camera to watch from, competing with AI to predict match outcomes, watching from the players’ perspective, and watching previous matches in 3D. In the 2008 Olympics, China took a step further by clearing the skies using weather altering technology – something that many countries are currently researching in-depth and are invested in.  

Better Equipment and Safety

One significant role of technology in sports is to make it safer for athletes playing and to provide valuable feedback that can lead to better training. Some of the current technologies involve devices that can let you know when you reach dangerous exhaustion levels, check for head injuries after the collision, and monitor your vitals during practice and play. Smarter materials have been developed that work on non-newtonian principles, and have outstanding shock absorption and impact protection capacities. Athlete equipment for different sports- like tennis, snowboarding, and basketball- have been developed to measure your skill level and technique preferences.

In the end, it doesn’t matter what field you have an aptitude towards, only your passion for the sport matters. Sports technology is a vast area and covers many disciplines and areas of study, all of which are equally important. If you’re interested in athletics and becoming a professional player, keep an eye on the changing technology and take advantage of it wherever you can. Most good colleges are also enthusiastic about sports and offer various scholarships for you to play for them. Also, keep an eye out for local sports teams that could enhance your skills and experience. 

If you’re interested in online schooling with a tremendous international curriculum, that would give you the time to play now and would open doors for you later in life, check out our courses at Vineyard Academy.