Internet Of Things: Transforming The Sports World

Abstract

It’s no longer a secret that Internet of Things has changed the world a lot. We also know that this decade is the decade of (IoT). We cannot ignore the contribution of data analytics in every sports played in the world whether the sport is football, cricket, volleyball, basketball or kabaddi. It’s nothing new that IoT and data analytics has made an impact on the sports world which cannot be ignored. In the recent days IoT usage is quite beneficial for professional sports & athletes. After arrival of IoT things have become quite exciting.

INTRODUCTION

Modern society is looking for user-friendly aiding systems, able not only to remotely monitor the health of the elderly and people suffering from chronic diseases, but also to find a safe and efficient routine to practice some sport or single exercises in an outdoor or indoor environment(such as gymnasium), in order to improve each person’s level of fitness and health. In this context, Internet of Things (IoT)-related systems are abletobringsolutions. The IoT paradigm can be built using wireless sensor networks (WSNs) as the leading technology to acquire and manage data. Connecting other smart elements to a WSN (smartphones, watches, tablets, etc.) may also improve the user experience in the IoT, and it could act as a starting point for the use of the technology. If the smart devices are wearable, the first technology-access barrier is broken: the user just has to “wear” the technology as a daily-life garment.

IoT or it can be termed as Internet of Things has been the concept consisting so much of excitement over the years, with the benefit or facility of connectivity. Basically IoT is the network of physical ‘things’ or devices that consist of embedded technology that could process ,act ,communicate & sense within the network & with external space. As we know that there is no further need to explain about tremendous amount of impact of IoT in our daily lives. If we talk about science & technology, medical field, architectural field, economics, sports & many more field then we can see that IoT has played a huge role in evolvement of these fields. Sports industry is very much effected by IoT in recent years. Following are some of the IoT trends that will or may continue to evolve the sports industry.

DATA CAPTURING ON SPORTS

We are well aware of the concept called data capturing & also we cannot say data capturing as new. However, the quality of data available at present and the speed of data gathered has been increased drastically. The way that sports engaged with various technologies is changing the way the fans view the sports, coaching and even the way various sports franchisees are run. At present, there are various apps & websites are available which not only facilitates sports fans to watch their favourite games in a live telecast but also to analyse every situation of game themselves. Any one can become an expert in their favourite game if heshe has an internet connection .

DATA REVEALS EVERY DETAILS OF THE ATHLETE

Data analysis & IoT has become an integral part for evaluation of every detail of athlete. Few years back, the facility of video analysis was available for analyzing the details of any athlete in the world only. Unluckily, video analysis was not enough because this analysis always resulted in retrospect. But the present day technology captures what’s happening here and now in live and also it can be often predicted what will happen in real-time, enabling a much better & more forward-looking analysis. Today, many professional athletes & coaches are carrying different different types of devices whether it’s smart watch, fit-bit, tracking device, smart phones etc. those devices help them in measuring their performance day in & day out. The IoT possesses a power of offering exact and real-time data about all sorts of measurements like distance, movements, speed and acceleration. In cycling in which Le Tour de France is the most popular one, GPS sensors implanted in the riders bicycles in order to measure their precise position in the race, on the road, and how close they are to their competitors. In cricket, spider camera has been introduce to measure the distance of ball & also there exist some technologies to measure speed of the bat whenever a batsman hits the ball for boundaries .IoT isn't just limited to cycling and volleyball. Professional swimming suits can be equipped with accelerometers and gyroscopes to measure the time, speed, acceleration, and velocity of swimmers.

ADVANCED WAY OF PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

In order to perfect themselves the professional athletes are taking many advantages of IoT by clubbing IoT devices in their training routines. Those devices can be smart wearable devices or any other latest equipment. In cricket, while practicing in the training sessions the players use various technologies to measure their bat speed, bowling speed, or their reaction time while fielding. These analysis will help those players to improve their skills & reaction time. Let’s have another example, in football a small device is embedded in the ball to measure the impack of kick by the player this also helps those players in improving their kicking skills.

All of the analysed data can be gathered on a smartphone or computer or in a laptop, where it can be analysed by the athlete to evaluate the effectiveness of training and plan future training sessions accordingly.

MATCH WINNING DECISIONS

IoT technologies possesses the ability to track distance, speed, and position and to showcase those information in the real time. Since data from a similar event in the past can decide or predict a future outcome, the information gathered gives coaches the opportunity to make better and better decisions on the spot and to adjust the game at the right time when it’s needed.

PROTECTION FOR SPORTSPERSONS

The IoT in sports also enables protection for players. Most sports are considered as a source of entertainment. However, there exist some sports which may be risky for the sportsperson like mixed martial arts, skateboarding, car and bike racing. Due to those risk factors in sports some companies have built devices that can actually track these things. A player who gets hit or fall at a particular moment in the game. A sensor fitted inside the helmet measures the impact and forwards information to the coach and the medical staff. This enables medical staff to determine if it’s safe for the players to continue playing. The data collected during the actual event is also used to optimize performance and training. Few times ago, performance analysis of athletes done in fixed settings such as on a treadmill or exercise bike. But now, technology captures their performance in the natural environment of the game .With technology, coaches can customize workouts of the players to be more personalized and efficient for them. Entire team can be monitored in order to optimize the game. In the IPL, which a premier league of cricket in India consists of many technologies to monitor the players. Most athletes also wear monitors that show biological data such as pulse, calories burnt, heart beat in real-time. This deep body analysis provides them connectivity with their bodies more than ever before. And being competitive by nature – getting measured like that gives these athletes enormous motivation to perform even better than ever.

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This biological data generated by the usage of IoT can also prevent injuries. Various football clubs such as Barcelona football club, Real Madrid, Liverpool are world famous football clubs and they have utilized the IoT by collecting biological data and reduced the injury risks. Cricket clubs like Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Lancashire, Somerset.

Data gathering is not limited to the athletes and their equipment. Even the training places where they practice are fitted with devices enabling data analysis. During water sports, data from the swimmer’s embedded sensors are equipped with video footage taken from cameras both above and below the surface of the pool. After that, data is analyzed using various software tools to determine the performance of swimmer. This allows coaches to find out where they can improve their technique.

In a football match, goal-line technology can determine whether the ball has crossed the line or not. The sensors are connected to a smart watch on the wrist of the match referees, who instantly decide whether to award a goal or not. Player-tracking software tools utilize multiple cameras around the ground and provides a two-dimensional mapping and animation offers intensive analysis of matches, giving insights into player movements and efficiency.

NEW WAY OF EXPERIENCE FOR FANS

So far, we have seen how technology especially IoT has transformed the way coaches coach and players play. But what about the fans who are the soul of any sports? Fortunately, fan experience is enhanced and more interactive than ever. Fans are always just a one click away to gather everything about their favorite sport, athlete or team since much of the data collected by coaches is highly available to fans via apps and websites.

But the real fan experience is the physical presence in any of the sports events. Social analytics technologies allow spectators in the stadium to see the game ordering a pizza while sitting and just with one click and also pizza is delivered to their seats.

While the idea of collecting data during game is not new, the quality of the data now available, the excessive speed at which it is collected, and various ways in which it is used has reached new heights. In sports, wins are obviously not determined by technology, but more by how skilled and agile athletes are. However, in the world of sports where monir margins reflects a huge impact, wearable devices, monitoring systems, and data analysis tools provide that extra edge that so often delivers victory.

EVOVLVEMENT OF IoT

The sports field also sees the evolution of the IoT as thing filled with excitement. The Internet of Things is a game-changer. It is more than just a technology, given that sports clubs and teams are using networked and wearable devices, bon and off the field, in various ways, such as:

1. Embedding players’ shoulder-pads with sensors for measuring on-field performance.
2. Embedding sensors and cameras into the helmets of players to obtain a different view and to measure impact.
3. Development of smart mouth guards to enhance safety in combat sports.
4. Deployment of cameras around a basketball arena to track and analyze players’ movements.
5. Putting adhesive sensors to athletes’ skin to measure physiological data, biological data and hydration levels.
6. Usage of wearable to access performance and control monitoring in gyms.
7. Fitting of sensors on a football, under the surface for goal-line decision technology.
8. Development of high-tech gears whose fabric analyzes and senses the muscle movement.
9. Embedding head-mounted cameras on players to capture unique game views.

CONCLUSION

This research paper mentions about the inspirational aspects towards IoT in sports. In very short time the way of broadcasting, training, analyzing in sports has been changed at speedy rate. Its quite true that IoT in sports has helped a lot whether it’s the case of prevention from sports injuries, strategy building during games, analysis of data to judge the performances of sportspersons, or broadcasting of sporting events. IoT in sports plays a major role in the transformation of world of sports.

It should be predicted that IoT in sports will continue to surprise us by bringing some phenomenal changes in the sports field which were possible only in dreams few years ago.

REFERENCES

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2. Cisco, The Internet of Everything and the Connected Athlete: This Changes, Everything. White paper. 2013.
3. How Data and IoT are Changing Sports http://blog.stibosystems.com/how-data-and-iot-are-changing-sports
4. The internet of things is revolutionising the world of sport https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/mar/02/internet-of-things-sport-six-nations
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6. https://customerthink.com/the-internet-of-things-and-the-field-of-sports/