Augmented reality is becoming more and more of a reality. It is used in many industries to improve and enhance professions and experiences and will only continue to grow. AR has entered the sports industry and shows no signs of slowing down. Here are some of the ways that the sports industry uses AR.
Enhanced Viewing
AR developers are working on technology that will completely change the experience at the stadium. By wearing AR glasses, a fan will have detailed information that he or she would have on the television at home. Sports broadcasters are already using AR technology to show viewers replays with 3D animations or the line of the ball with virtual drawings.
Sports Training and Marketing
Augmented reality is used to enhance videos during athletes’ film review sessions. As they are watching video, they can see statistics and data that give relevant information on a player’s strengths, weaknesses, and other characteristics. They also use realistic 3D simulations to improve their training sessions. There are even AR apps that will connect to a player’s smartphone and assess a session through a sensor in a ball.
AR has taken sports marketing to new levels. One of the biggest ways that AR has changed this field is that advertisements that are located in a stadium can be replaced with an LED system to show different ads in different television markets. This way, the advertising is relevant to the fans watching the event. Teams can use AR to generate greater fan interest by allowing users to click and share selfies with 3D snaps of their favorite players or by offering custom filters for photos that people share on social media.
AR Games
Finally, AR is being used to create games and tournaments. For example, a Japanese startup, Meleap Inc., has created an AR Techno Sport called HADO where players wear a wrist sensor and AR headset, and they throw virtual energy balls and block with virtual shields. AR allows people to experience many things that could not otherwise be done.