The words “augmented reality”, don’t usually bring the idea of sports immediately to mind. It’s a term that lends itself more naturally to a futuristic movie, or video game. Whether they realize it or not, for sports fans, augmented reality is an integral part of the sports-viewing experience–and its role will continue to grow as new technologies become accessible.
In the simplest sense, augmented reality refers to the virtual objects seen on the playing surface when watching a game on TV. For instance, the shot clock superimposed on the court during a basketball game or the visual line of scrimmage on the field during a football game. Augmented reality in sports has become so natural to the typical viewer that it’s easy to forget it’s there, and often people wonder what happened to it while at a live event.
In the near future, augmented reality will be a major part of live events. One vision for augmented reality use is for fans holding up his or her phone to the field or court and seeing useful information. For example, during halftime of a basketball game, a fan could hold up a smartphone and see X’s on the court where a given player or team has missed shots.
It doesn’t stop there– Google has been working on Google Glasses, since prior to 2010. These eye glasses would augment reality everywhere by being a constant screen in front of your eyes. You’d have the ability to take photos from your perspective, send texts, make phone calls and even video chat. Eventually, these glasses could be a cool tool for sports. Using Google Glasses while watching a football game live, fans will have the ability to see the yellow first down line, even though the game is not being watched on TV.
How far away are these technologies? Some suggest Google will release its product within the next year, with the intended uses mentioned above. But it will take a bit longer for Google to figure out ways it can use the product for sports.
Smartphone versions of augmented reality are already available in very basic versions. Simple applications allow users to hold a phone up to a given logo, which triggers a video to play. While the technology is still being developed and refined, it’s a safe bet that it live augmented reality will soon become a key component of a sports fan’s actual reality.
(Photo courtesy of AP Photo/Google)
Related Stories: