As the sports industry continues to incorporate more technology into its activities, many of its crucial aspects will inevitably be heavily influenced by technological advances. After all, the sports industry generates hundreds of billions of dollars annually. This trend shows no sign of abating. As such, technology will continue to play a huge role in it for the foreseeable future. For more on such trends, see this review here.
Even though humans will continue to actively participate in sports, many aspects of it are increasingly becoming reliant on technology. For instance, soccer now employs smart technology for detecting goals. A special chip with a mini-tracking device is implanted into the ball and at the goal line area. As soon as the ball crosses the goal line, the referee is signaled about this. A quick but noticeable vibration on the referee’s watch will confirm the goal. This is one of many ways in which sports can benefit from technology.
While the above example is more specific to a situation, several other forms of technology can have a sweeping impact across an entire sports sector. Examples include tele fitness for home workouts. This is becoming a mainstay for most modern settings. The haste and rush of modern life mean that most people don’t have time to hit the gym or schedule workout sessions outside their residences. As such, tele-fitness technology is helping them stay fit and healthy while at home.
Key Technological Advancements in Sports and Their Impact
Internet of things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) are two technological phenomena that have had a profound effect on the sports industry. Along with things like mobile applications that enhance training regimens and provide feedback, these technologies are being adopted more and more for sports activities.
Prime examples include:
1)Novel Wearables
Basic pedometers used to be seen as the classic example of technology in sports. However, these are now considered out of fashion. This is because the average consumer now has at their disposal a wide array of wearable products. Many of these offer versatility in function. For example, smart glasses are now standard gear for many professional cyclists. These gadgets help to map out the route while a cyclist busies themselves with the physical aspects of cycling. Similarly, full-body suits that have sensors embedded in them to monitor performance have been deployed during training sessions, providing real-time feedback.
2) Telefitness Technologies
Many people can now afford to stay indoors as opposed to hitting the gym or doing outdoor exercises. Home workouts and online fitness coaching form a crucial part of tele fitness. Video conferencing tools are examples of tele fitness technologies that make home workouts easier. You can have a virtual session with a certified fitness instructor as though you were at the gym. Such tools, coupled with almost futuristic technologies like smart mirrors, have continued to revolutionize the sports and fitness industry. Vulnerable groups like the elderly and those recovering from physical injuries particularly like such technologies because it means they can have workouts without leaving their residences.
3) Cloud
The impact of cloud technology may be less clear, at least to those not in the sports industry. Cloud technology enables many things to be done. A good example is performance analytics. For example, baseball players need to keep track of their batting averages and how many home runs they hit, not to mention the quality of such metrics. Cloud technology enables the efficient management and scalability of such crucial performance metrics. As such, many professional sports teams are increasingly adopting such technologies in their overall sports management strategies.
4) Enhanced Workout and Sports Equipment
Numerous gadgets have been introduced for athletic training and workouts. While some are totally new, many have built on the concept of existing ones. These include:
i)Enhanced Sports Areas: These days, there are stadiums that are equipped with sensors to monitor things like humidity and temperature, among other variables. These are controlled to a very high degree to ensure that athletes have an optimum physical environment to achieve peak performance.
ii) Athlete Tracking Systems: While professional athletes today may not be more talented than their counterparts of decades past, they certainly optimize their talents to a very high degree thanks to technologies like tracking systems. For example, you can get nearly every statistic about a player’s performance down to the weather conditions that most correlate with their peak performances. This is enabled by advanced tracking systems that monitor nearly everything that an athlete does during training and professional games. Such information is increasingly being used by sports teams and agents to make commercial decisions like whether or not to offer a particular athlete a lucrative contract.
iii) Smart Workout Equipment: Professional bodybuilders can now harness such technologies to improve their exercise regimens without the usual hassle of heading to the gym. Such equipment gives feedback to the bodybuilder, enabling them to adjust their training methods accordingly for better results.
Inevitably, technology will continue to shape how many sports activities will be performed.
