The Future of Sport?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nAll of these examples of how immersive technologies and intelligent machines are being used or may be used, are framed around sports as we currently know them and the impact on audiences. Beyond that though, there is an argument that the sports we all know and love now may well change dramatically in a future where currently nascent immersive technologies have matured and AI\/Machine Learning is simply an accepted part of everyday life. Let\u2019s look again at boxing. This is a sport that over the years has evolved due to changing public opinion and the perceived safety of the athletes. In the early 20th Century bouts would have no limit on the number of rounds, effectively going on until one of the fighters gave up or the police stopped the fight. In the 1920s a 15 round limit started to become the norm \u2013 up until the death of a fighter Duk Koo Kim in the 14th round of a CBS televised fight in 1983. Not coincidentally, the next iteration \u2013 a 12 round fight \u2013 could be neatly be televised within a one hour slot, another factor that many feel contributed to the WBA rule change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So here we have a sport that has already evolved and seems likely to continue. Imagine a future where that evolution does not stop purely in the physical world, where it\u2019s possible to track a VR boxer\u2019s body movements precisely, along with their biometric data. A bout could take place between two VR boxers who are on different sides of the planet, who in reality might be in completely different weight classes. Maybe their avatars are not representative of their human form but are instead virtual embodiments of their specific fighting attributes. Maybe they could even develop \u2018special moves\u2019 through training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nYes, it\u2019s probably a little far fetched that immersive technology will prompt boxing to become a real-life (virtual) version of Street Fighter. And it might be a while before we can KO Floyd Mayweather from the comfort of our own living room. But if it was possible to engage in this way, we\u2019d do it. There are countless examples of the different ways that immersive tech has already been adopted by the sporting world; some work well, and others certainly have room for improvement. But it\u2019s undeniable that XR trends are pioneering a revolution in the way that we watch and enjoy sport, as well as participate in it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
VR, AR and AI is taking the sporting world by force – we take a look at how immersive tech in sports is advancing and revolutionising the way that we watch, play and engage.
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