How Is New Technology Transforming American Football?

[BillTre]

This NY Times article describes several technological innovations the USFL is trying out that may eventually get to the NFL.

There are several kinds of tech involved.

Ball Spotting:

• several optical cameras (Bolt6 company)
• Lidar (light detection and ranging)

accurate within millimeters, instantly available, similar to tracking balls in tennis

3-D player and ball tracking:

• Radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips in helmets and balls

used to maintain social distancing, 2-D not really new, but vertical axis provides data on player stances and can be used or safety reasons (too high impacts I guess)

Other things:

• Mikes and video cams on player, coaches, and refs: this stuff is mostly just fun.
• A ball that glows, only visible to TV viewers, when it crosses goal line.
• Lasers to show if a field goal is good.
• A laser line on the field to show the first down line and light up a ball when it crosses it.
• Watch like devices on refs for rapidly getting this information on the field.

 

[pinball1970]

This NY Times article describes several technological innovations the USFL is trying out that may eventually get to the NFL.
View attachment 300280

There are several kinds of tech involved.

Ball Spotting:

• several optical cameras (Bolt6 company)
• Lidar (light detection and ranging)

accurate within millimeters, instantly available, similar to tracking balls in tennis

3-D player and ball tracking:

• Radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips in helmets and balls

used to maintain social distancing, 2-D not really new, but vertical axis provides data on player stances and can be used or safety reasons (too high impacts I guess)

Other things:

• Mikes and video cams on player, coaches, and refs: this stuff is mostly just fun.
• A ball that glows, only visible to TV viewers, when it crosses goal line.
• Lasers to show if a field goal is good.
• A laser line on the field to show the first down line and light up a ball when it crosses it.
• Watch like devices on refs for rapidly getting this information on the field.

If it's anything like Hawkeye (cricket) what they use for Tennis and VAR for association football for me it adds an interesting dimension to the game as a spectator.
It makes it tech basically, especially cricket.