The use of Technology in Sports

Can you imagine a life without technology?

The answer is a straightforward NO! That is unless you are ok with the idea of living without any transportation, video games, microwaves or even your BYJU’S learning tablet!

Now think about the world of sports. While you may argue about the connection between science and technology with sports, the link is actually all around that industry, right in front of our eyes. Right from watching your favourite match, live on your TV to deciding the fate of a batsman along with the third umpire through ‘Hawk-Eye’, the rapid advancement of technology is changing the world of  sports. Today, let’s look at how these technologies have improved the accuracy and experiences of both athletes and spectators at sporting events.

This technology has helped the ever enthusiastic sporting audiences observe crucial moments keenly while allowing the sports officials to make better judgements. Just like it sounds, the technology is based on the principles of triangulation using visual images and timing data provided by 6-7 high-speed video cameras located at different locations and angles around the area of play. Developed by engineers at Roke Manor Research Ltd in Romsey, England, in 2001, the system was first used during a Test match between Pakistan and England at Lord’s Cricket Ground on 21 April 2001. Since then it has been a commonly used system for not just mainstream sports like cricket, tennis,, badminton, rugby, association football, and volleyball, but also off-beat sports like Gaelic football and hurling.

Goal Line Technology has made a huge impact  in football. Ever so often, a tricky situation arises in the sport – thousands of people see the ball crossing the goal-line, but the referee doesn’t see it. Or the other way round – the referee awards the goal, which the defending side insists should not be given. Many such incidents have forced The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and the International Football Association Board (IFAB) to consider Goal-Line since 2012. The technology helps determine if the ball has crossed the goal line or not, within split seconds, thus avoiding any interference in the game. The three most extensively used technologies for goal-determination are Hawk-Eye, GoalControl-4D system (a system that constantly tracks all the movements of the ball and automatically sends an encrypted visual and audible signal to the referee’s watch the moment the ball crosses the goal line), and GoalRef (a radio-based sensing system that uses low-frequency magnetic fields to detect if a goal has been scored).

Another advancement in the world of technology are wearable monitors that come equipped with a host of technologies including GPS tracking, accelerometers and gyroscope sensors and modified clothing. These wearable devices can collect massive data such as an athlete’s heart rate, glucose level, breathing, gait, strain, or fatigue. This data helps monitor the athletes’ performance and overall well-being.

Let’s end this story with a new beginning! The combination of technology and cutting edge materials to allow athletes to engage in their favourite sports is not a new story. But the technical advancement in prosthetic devices are catapulting athletes into an era of revolutionary gains. A good example is of the Olympic track athlete Oscar Pistorius from South African, who earned the nickname “Blade Runner” in 2012 for becoming the first double amputee to run the 400-meter dash and make history. He was born without fibulas in either leg and wore carbon-fiber prosthetic blades to run on tracks.

‘Blade Runner’ Oscar Pistorius of South Africa runs in the men’s 200-meter event at the Paralympic World Cup. Photo Credit: Michael Steele/Getty Images

Do you know any such technology used in sports? Tell us in the comments below.

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