Fujitsu has made a significant technological breakthrough by developing AI (Artificial Intelligence) and 3D sensor technology that will be used at the World Gymnastics Championships in Stuttgart, Germany. The purpose of this technology is to assist judges in scoring gymnastic performances.
The exact title of the process is Judging Support System. The technology will use AI and 3D sensors to record the slightest movement of the competitor for better analysis of numerical data. It also offers a 3D digital view of the athletes, with many different angular measurements to help judges make scoring decisions.
This feature will be provided to judges alongside Instant Replay, which is the playback of a frame of the process on video and has already been used in world championships since 2005.
Fujitsu's achievement is extremely significant as it marks the first time in history that AI technology will be used for official scoring at the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG). Of course, it was also successfully tested at the Tokyo All-Around World Cup and the Junior World Championships in Hungary earlier in 2019. Fujitsu and FIG have been working together since 2017 to create a system that is both accurate and fair.
The importance of AI technology in the field of professional sports is enormous, as it concerns athletes who have dedicated their entire lives to it and it would be at least unfair for them to be excluded from their goal due to an unfortunate criticism.
If the technology developed by Fujitsu succeeds as expected, it will be expanded to other sporting events. It is worth noting that AI and 3D sensors will also be particularly useful in improving athletes' posture and training, thereby reducing the risk of possible injuries.
