If you happened to be watching yesterday’s Home Run Derby, you might have noticed something different about the broadcast among Giancarlo Stanton’s mammoth home runs. With Intel running all of the behind-the-scenes work, the technology company embarked on its second run of using their 360-degree replay technology.
The three biggest events of this All-Star Week—the All-Star Futures Game, the Home Run Derby and the MLB All-Star Game—are all benefitting from this replay system. All of the broadcasts stemming from San Diego’s Petco Park are granted access to Intel’s replays, and Intel is collaborating with MLB Network, ESPN and FOX on this project.
Intel strategically positioned 28 cameras throughout the ballpark, and those cameras are able to create a 3D rendering of any of the action on the field. Then, the broadcaster can choose a replay, and check out the play from any angle. So, the technology makes picking apart something like Stanton’s swing easier than ever, and broadcasters should never have a bad angle of the action.
In March, Intel purchased Israeli virtual reality startup Replay Technologies, who pioneered this 3D replay technology. This All-Star Week is Intel’s second major use of the acquired replay system. Prior to working with the MLB, Intel used the 360-degree replay technology in the NBA Conference Finals and Finals.
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The next step for Intel will be to put this technology in the hands of fans, allowing them to manually analyze or be virtually engulfed in replays of games. Pairing this technology with a virtual reality headset, or merely allowing fans to manually explore a replay, should be an interesting experiment for Intel past simply broadcasting.
To see Intel’s technology following one of Stanton’s many powerful hits from any possible angle, check out the video below.