5G to transform sports for audience and athletes
5G was applied to cross-county skiing event at PyeongChang Winter Olympics in 2018. Photo: FILE
Science and technology have accelerated human development throughout time. In 2018, at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in South Korea, a 5G network was installed in several venues . This represented the most cutting-edge communication technology in the world, at that time. The massive service operation supported applications such as video broadcasting, virtual reality (VR) scenes, and wireless networks, providing participants and spectators with what was claimed to be a 1000Mbps connection speed. This 5G application was a test run for commercialization, but due to technical difficulties, the viewing experience was not very satisfying.
Better viewing experience
5G has turned high-speed video broadcasting into a reality. Wu Hequan, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said that "The Winter Olympics is the best test for the effects of the major 5G application scenarios." These scenarios include: enhanced mobile broadband, high viability, low latency, and broad connection. The failure to increase broadband will cause "traffic congestion." The latency problem directly distinguishes between the viewing experience for end-users and the spectators who are physically present.
Beyond the Winter Olympics, broader connection will increase social development, as the 5G internet of everything will accelerate the informatization of society in a holistic way. After hardware construction based on new infrastructure is complete, sharing and connection among people, among things, and between people and things, will inspire a leap in social development.
During the Winter Olympics, 5G technology will completely change the audience experience. For example, figure skating features high speeds and multiple rotations, therefore, accurate visual communication requires ultra-high-definition televisions. A 4K television has a resolution of 3840×2160 pixels, and an 8K resolution television has 7680×4320 pixels, which is four times that of a 4K TV. In tests conducted by equipment suppliers, one minute of 8k video was found to take up roughly 200GB of storage space. Without compression, there was no way to transmit this kind of ultra-high-definition imagery in the 4G era. 8K images require network access speeds that reach at least 100M/s, this is the maximum speed of a 4G network. In 2019, a test run by a Chinese communications operator found that 5G networks operated at a download speed of 1.25G/s, more than 100 times faster than the 4G network. The progress made in expanding 5G networks has elevated ultra-high-definition pictures to the center stage in TV broadcasting.
Audience demands
5G allows live three-dimensional video shooting. The Winter Olympics include many sports where athletes move at high speeds. In 2002, French speed-skiing athlete Philippe Goitschel broke the world record with a speed of 250.7 km/h. Excellent short-track speed skaters reach speeds close to 50 km/h. Displaying these high-speed panoramas to the world has been a challenge. The problem remained a hardware issue, the equipment for high-speed filming wasn't adequate. Recently, broadcasters launched a live free-viewpoint video service during the 2019 World Martial Arts Championships in Shanghai. Free-viewpoint technology instantly captures the athletes’ movements through the installation of multiple high-precision cameras.
Viewers can replay pictures according to their needs, or scrutinize the details supported by dynamic 360-degree scenes. In the past, spectators could only watch the game from a single perspective, the simultaneous shooting of photographers from a static location. Even spectators physically present at venues were blocked by visual restrictions, making it impossible to watch the game using a panoramic view. With the aid of 5G, drones can help display sports without blind spots. For example, aerials at the Winter Olympics are referred to as "ballet in the sky" because of the beautiful airborne acrobatics. However, watching this spectacular form of skiing might not satisfy viewers, because the moves are fleeting and can't be understood visually from a single angle. The combination of 5G and free-viewpoint video creates a perfect solution to these problems. This format finally displays all athletes' movements from a 360-degree sports view.
Virtual Reality (VR) can transform time and space. Today, people can virtually experience sports played on snow and ice without visiting wintery venues. VR can transform scenarios despite the summer heat. Also, cloud storage can overcome time differences, spatial asymmetry, language barriers, and even seasonal changes. Some viewers at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics enjoyed the visual feed brought by 5G and VR. The organization committee provided such services as 360-degree VR, a synchronized perspective, and full-scene viewing. At present, the business districts of major Chinese cities can supply these services. For example, while waiting for a movie, people can soak in the fun of skiing in a virtual ski resort next to the cinema. 5G and VR allow users to gain a sense of presence.
Training and diet
Modern media technology pays special attention to social interactions and human-computer interactions. 5G transmission and big data storage complement each other. Hence, various applications, based on user habits, will send information to the users in a targeted way. Multimodal language research, detailed analysis, and in-depth data mining can prepare technology for user customizations. Users could not only control holographic information across languages, but also select details or techniques they want to focus on.
In the past, sports commentators needed to learn and accumulate sports knowledge for a long time before they could broadcast. The current database can basically achieve real-time interaction. For example, for some well-known athletes, staff can quickly generate the latest resumes through publicly reported information, the templates are even ready-made. Athletes' performance records, training status, retirement and comeback information will all be available at a glance. Indeed, live sports broadcasting still requires human judgment. But such activities have become less esoteric and mysterious and more interactive in the mobile internet era.
Thanks to 5G, the access to more detailed real-time statistics can help athletes get more comprehensive and scientific "care." In daily training, professionals often wear electronic sensing devices such as the Inertial Measurement Unit. Data visualization can make sense of pertinent data such as strength, intensity, frequency, and technical movements. Professionals will analyze and inform the coaching staff through data analysis or reports. Also, they can test tentative and possible technical actions with the aid of bionics or robotics. Athletes can also learn how to use VR and other equipment to perform simulation training.
Athletes in the Winter Olympics burn more calories than their counterparts in other events. They need to eat at least 3,000 to 4,000 calories each day, which is twice the average daily calorie of ordinary people. In terms of diet, carbohydrates can support daily energy, while fat helps maintain energy. Big data can be applied to nutrition to help athletes decide how to eat three or more meals a day and what to eat. For daily training, athletes can replenish their energy according to each day's training intensity. The National Academy of Sports Medicine recommends that in cold weather, athletes eat a carb-rich snack 30 to 60 minutes before training to make sure muscle glycogen is at its peak. If athletes train for an hour, drinking water is necessary. For any workout longer than that, athletes need to prepare one carb-rich snack per hour. Winter Olympics athletes'diets, however, should be more specific and change with training and competitions, making sure their caloric energy is sufficient. In this way, what and how to eat can be calculated based on multiple conditions.
From training through the rehabilitation process, big data can assist with regulating athletes clothing, nutrition, sleep schedules, and workouts. Technology can indeed create an ideal model. As 5G applications develop, the "services" offered can upgrade further. Real-time transmission can display various data types more concretely. Athletic diet and training can support each other through 5G-powered technologies.
With the upgrade to 5G, sports fans around the world have higher expectations for the Beijing Winter Olympics. The organization committee needs to work on training talent, technology transformation and application. Deep integration of sports and technology can breathe life into both sectors and beyond. Technology can be more widely applied to sports scenarios, paving the way for future development.
Li Yuanhui and Wen Yaxu are from the Research Office of Sports at Heilongjiang University.
Edited by MA YUHONG