How is Technology Revolutionizing Sports?
Technology is truly transforming the modern-day sport. From the use of controversial Video Assistant Referee (VAR) to the invention of Hawk-eye in Cricket and Tennis, technology has made its mark firm on sports. Here are some of the technologies that revolutionized the field of sports:
Hawk-Eye:
As its name suggests, Hawk-eye uses a number of high-end cameras high above the field of play to analyze the flight and trajectory of objects. It’s used in a lot of sports including Cricket, Tennis, Rugby and Volleyball. It helps the match officials to make an error-free decision and gives the players an opportunity to overturn a wrong decision.
Video:
One of the earliest technologies to be inculcated in sports was the video-referrals. Used regularly by on-field umpires in cricket, video referrals are very influential on the modern-day sport.
Advanced high-end cameras have also made watching the game live at home an enjoyable experience and streaming services have helped reach live events on mobile devices.
Tracking and Fitness Gadgets
A lot of professional and national teams in multiple disciplines are using tracking gadgets which helps them track the fitness levels, speed and overall conditioning of athletes. These gadgets are proving extremely important in modern-day tactical team games like Football, Hockey and Cricket.
HANS device
A vast majority of technological advancements in sports revolve around safety, and the HANS (Head and Neck Support) device used in motorsports is one of the most famous.
At the time of Dale Earnhardt’s death on the track at the Daytona 500 due to head and neck trauma, Thomas Gideon, senior director of Safety, Research & Development of NASCAR, claims that only about six drivers were wearing a HANS device. That moment changed the sports as more drivers adopted this technology geared towards saving their lives in the event of a tragic crash.
Details of a HANS device:
- U-shaped device which is placed behind the neck and its two arms are placed over the pectoral muscles of the chest
- It is only connected to the helmet by two anchors on each side and supported by the shoulders
- A HANS device keeps the head from whipping forwards and backward in a crash, while also preventing excessive twisting movements
There are endless contributions to sports from technology apart from these inventions. Inventions like prosthetic devices for disabled athletes, medical and safety innovations, GPS Golf Balls and Carbon Fibre innovations are bringing change in the sports industry almost every day and it will be fascinating to see what it has to offer in the future.
