Category Archives: Sports Tech

Health, Health Tech, Healthcare Tech, Sport, Sports Tech

North Wales firm CryoClinix moves into photobiomodulation

North Wales firm CryoClinix has announced its worst kept secret, that being its aggressive European move into photobiomodulation, more commonly called Red Light Therapy.

After attending the PBM 2024 in London recently, David Morris announced at the conference that CryoClinix, after engaging with a number of medical representatives from major football clubs in the UK, Europe and also the Saudi Pro League, that commercial strength Red Light Therapy is now available to their client base in Europe to purchase. The client base already taking pre-orders include football clubs, players, spas and wellness centres.

David Morris, Chief Revenue Officer of CryoClinix said “after talking to some of the world’s leading exponents of photobiomodulation, it was clearly evident that from the countless doctors and professors with whom we talked to, that red light therapy would accelerate rehabilitation via the company’s own devices given their strength. As a consequence, CryoClinix has announced its sales channel expansion from the US into Europe, focussing predominantly on the sports and spa sectors.”

Red light therapy from CryoClinix can be applied by one of two methods, firstly by a simple 15 minute treatment inside a pod, or for those persons that wish to use the modality when travelling, a full body pad is used. Morris continues “quite simply no other company offers the quality or the complimentary product range that we do. We are certainly not the first to market in Europe. We have observed the market increase over the last 3 quarters, and firmly believe that our products are the most powerful, providing the best photobiomodulation treatment for the patient.

Already our pods are used extensively in the US, relied upon by a number of teams from the NFL, NBA and countless clinics. Our products are powerful using commercial LED lights so we actively encourage the European market to aggressively compare our specifications to what’s currently available and ask some key questions around competitor technology.” Clients in Europe that are using photobiomodulation include spas, recovery centres and domestic residences – predominantly high net worth individuals, all of which see value in the technology to improve their energy levels, sleep and general all round wellness.

“Because the treatments are whole body, it affects over 30 trillion blood cells via the strength of our 17,000 commercial strength LED lights (yes 17,000) which are located the closest to the skin within the industry for maximum penetration. Our lights omit 630 and 660 nanometers (nm) and 850nm near infrared beams, resulting in a very impressive 100 mW/cm^2 rating.” Red Light Therapy is frequently used to boost the body’s mitochondria – often referred to as the powerhouses of the cell. Mitochondrias main function is to generate the energy necessary to power nearly all types of cells in the body. They are vital to our survival, generating the majority of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which basically is the energy currency of the human cells.

Morris continues “It’s the power of the LED’s and their capability to penetrate the skin which is vital to obtain the highest form of mitochondria, all achieved during a very relaxing 15 minute treatment. It is key that the different wavelengths of light penetrate the skin from the closest distance possible. This is something that is simply not possible by some other manufacturers, many of whom use unbelievably converted sun bed frames as a basis to build up from. All our machines are made from scratch in the US for what is rapidly becoming a global marketplace.

For more information about CryoClinix Red Light Therapy or Cryotherapy Chambers, please contact David Morris davidm@cryoclinix.com

Health, Healthcare, Healthcare Tech, Sports Tech

CryoClinix launches coldest 1 person chamber in the world for Spas

North Wales based CryoClinix has launched its new, one person electric cryotherapy chamber specifically for spas, cooling down to a record breaking -100 degrees C.

David Morris of CryoClinix said ‘other 1 person cryo chambers on the market only cool allegedly to -85 degrees C, which has little or no impact on the person receiving the treatment according to the wealth of independent medical research. Our 1 person chamber is unique, cooling down to an astonishing -100 degrees C, allowing the patient to experience all the positive physiological benefits that genuine cryotherapy brings’.

For the spa market, cryotherapy offers so much from anti ageing, weight loss, collagen boost to name a few, but also wellness benefits such as improved sleep, mobility, pain relief etc.

The 1 person chamber itself is really small in size, measuring only 1.7m wide and 1.1m deep. Amazingly it can be operated all day at a cost of only £25 in electricity, but unlike others can be operated continuously without having to turn it off for the machine to rest. The ability to have the CryoClinix chamber operating up to 14 hours a day maximises the spas opportunity for increased revenue growth. For the client themselves, they simply embrace the cold after selecting their own music from the built-in Alexa system.

David Morris continues ‘It’s so important that the chamber is cold enough to deliver the correct temperature for cryotherapy treatments. This temperature, along with the chambers look, size and low operational cost is a game changer for the spa industry, but also the cryotherapy engineering
sector too, given the proprietary advances in the technology used.’

The computerised operator software is the same as used in elite sports teams and facilities around the world, allowing automated on/off scheduling, and also ‘self cleaning’ of the system, freeing up the staffs time, all while being connected to the engineers 24/7 for constant monitoring of the chamber. With a purchase price of £75,000 in the UK, which includes installation and delivery, little wonder CryoClinix are confident that existing pre order interest from the USA, Europe and Middle East will be mirrored here in the UK.

For more information, please contact David Morris at CryoClinix davidm@cryoclinix.com

News, Sport, Sports Tech

SailGP to offer its Emmy Award-winning LiveLineFX graphics overlay for other sports properties and rights owners

SailGP confirms its patented, award-winning on-screen visuals and graphics solution is being developed for use in other sports

LONDON (May 9, 2024) – SailGP, the world’s most technologically advanced and exciting racing on water, has today announced its industry-leading production technology, LiveLineFX, is now being developed for use in other sports properties.

The patented in-house broadcast graphics package, which powers the storytelling of SailGP and demystifies the sport, has enabled the championship to broaden its fanbase. The technology, which has received numerous accolades including an Emmy Award, has helped underscore SailGP’s reputation as one of the most innovative leagues in sport.

LiveLineFX, which is produced remotely from SailGP’s broadcast studio in London for SailGP’s broadcast partners in 212 international territories, processes 1.15bn data requests per hour from each of the ten state-of-the-art F50 catamarans per hour. Supplied by Oracle Cloud, it is all done in real time to generate unrivalled performance information.

LiveLineFX collects the data from the 125 sensors positioned on each F50, with data points ranging from the speed and direction of the boats, weather conditions as well as the sea current, which is then presented as a graphical overlay on top of the racecourse. This not only enhances the broadcast experience but is fundamental to the racing and helps educate the viewer.

It is all made possible by a unique combination of live race course video shot from a helicopter, high-accuracy GPS and the Oracle Cloud. Together these components offer real time data to the LiveLineFX team, enabling them to track the boats within two-centimeter accuracy and deliver seamless graphical overlays of geo-positioned race markers, boundary lines as well as boat positions and relative performance statistics.

The technology and creative elements of LiveLineFX lends itself naturally to a variety of out-of-stadium sports, such as cycling, horse racing, surfing, and any mass participation sports, where it can be tricky for viewers to get the full picture and understanding of what is unfolding in front of them.

 

SailGP Chief Technology Officer Warren Jones said: “From the outset, SailGP has prioritized patented, leading-edge immersive media technologies and LiveLineFX is an award-winning example of this. It is truly unique and hasn’t just been built for use by SailGP, it has been developed with other sports properties and broadcasters in mind where the viewing experience can be difficult due to the nature of the sport. We are now welcoming conversations with a range of potential partners and are excited to see how other sports can benefit from LiveLineFX.”

LiveLineFX has also been a successful tool as part of SailGP’s commercial and audience growth. The league now has an average of 14 million dedicated broadcast viewers per event and its audience has increased by over 300% in the last year alone.

The commercial growth of the league has been aided by the ability of LiveLineFX which has enabled SailGP to not have to rely on traditional infrastructure such as fixed advertising hoardings or pitch branding, which are typically single use and unsustainable, at its events.

LiveLineFX provides 2D and 3D on-screen advertising opportunities which has seen SailGP’s premium partners, such as Rolex and Emirates, being able to enjoy multiple branded opportunities during live broadcasts of its events.

 

SailGP Chief Content Officer Melissa Lawton, said: “We have seen huge audience growth thanks in large part to LiveLineFX and the understanding it brings to a very complex sport. Our success, and the fact that LiveLineFX is perfect for a variety of out-of-stadium sports, such as cycling, horse racing, surfing, and any mass participation sports, has led to active conversations with other sports properties about how they too can utilize the technology to grow their fan bases.

“The capabilities of LiveLineFX enable SailGP partners to generate significant value through branding placements around the course without the need for typical, physical commercial infrastructure. Where other sports rely on screens, temporary structures and mass on-site logistics, LiveLineFX can deliver impactful placements on the boundaries and at key areas on the course fully remote.”

SailGP also recently launched a ‘refreshed’ opening title sequence to its live broadcast alongside a new soundtrack, which was aimed at targeting and engaging new and younger audiences. More info HERE.

SailGP Season 4 concludes with events in Halifax, Canada (June 1-2) and New York (June 22-24) before the Season 4 SailGP Grand Final in San Francisco (July 13-14).

 

News, Sport, Sports Tech

TeamViewer Launches Flagship Initiative Encouraging Women to Pursue Careers in Sports Technology

Launched in collaboration with sports partners Manchester United and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, the program offers inspiration, training grants and access to unique experiences, all geared towards helping women explore the career possibilities afforded by this growing industry.

London, 4th April 2024: TeamViewer, a leading global provider of remote connectivity and workplace digitalization solutions, announces the launch of SheSportTech, an initiative designed to inspire and support women1 to pivot towards a career in sports technology. The SheSportTech Pathway offers five recipients the chance to be paired up with a female professional working in sport technology. This professional will provide support, guidance, and advice based on their experiences. Recipients will each receive a €1500training grant to help support their development.

The initiative’s creative campaign showcases the variety of female talent powering Manchester United, both on and off the pitch. Stand-out players Mary Earps, Ella Toone, Katie Zelem, Hinata Miyazawa, and Nikita Parris feature alongside women who help make the club a success through their roles across insights, data analysis and security, CRM and talent management.

 

Faith Wheller, VP of Brand, Sports and Integrated Marketing Communications at TeamViewer says: “At TeamViewer, we believe that technology is made better by a diverse workforce. And we know that representation matters in making women feel that sport tech is a field where they could thrive, which is why our campaign brings all these amazing women – and their roles – into the spotlight. We’re hoping their stories will inspire more women to join the industry. Applying for the grants and experiences within our SheSportTech program can be a great step in this direction.”

A key pillar of the initiative is the tangible support that women can benefit from as they shape their own success story in sport tech. Starting today, women with an interest in this field can apply to be a part of the initiative. In addition to training grants worth €1,500 each, winners will receive one to one support from the pathway’s role models – women in a variety of sport tech roles within Manchester United and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team and some of the tech team at TeamViewer – as part of a buddy scheme. They will also get to explore how technology powers performance within the three organizations, through bespoke events and experiences.

Marilou McFarlane, founder and CEO at Women in Sports Tech (WiST), the leading global non-profit organization that drives transformative growth opportunities for women and employers in the sports tech industry and is supporting the initiative, comments: “We are honored to join forces with TeamViewer on this exciting, educational and engaging initiative. This partnership aligns with our vision of creating a more diverse and inclusive sport tech ecosystem, and ultimately more innovative and successful businesses, through proven, tangible solutions. Together, we look forward to driving positive change and providing valuable and equitable opportunities for networking, learning, and professional growth.”

Women with a passion for sports who are interested in exploring a career in technology can discover more on SheSportTech.com. Applications for the SheSportTech initiative close Sunday 30th June at 12.00 AM GMT.

The following criteria will be considered by a selection panel in awarding the grants. More details can be found on www.SheSportTech.com

  • Reason for seeking a career transition into Sports Tech.
  • Description of potential opportunities you would like to pursue utilising the funds.
  • Quality of written proposal.

 

News, Sport, Sports Tech

Toyota Gazoo Racing advanced engineering supports elite parasports athletes

Advanced technologies from the world of international motorsport are being applied to create cutting-edge equipment for elite parasports athletes in the lead-up to the 2024 Paris Paralympics. Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe (TGR-E) is producing bespoke items designed to help para-athletes achieve peak performance across a range of disciplines.

The high-tech kit developed by the team includes seats for hand bikes, Nordic ski-sleds, damping systems for mono-skis and a new racing wheelchair design. These use techniques, materials and engineering know-how gained through TGR-E’s championship-winning successes in race and rallying during the past decade.

The story began with Andrea Eskau, a multiple Paralympic and World Champion, who approached TGR-E in her search for an ergonomic seat insert that would provide better support in her hand bike, inspired by the fitted seats used in motorsport. This was the seed which grew into a long-term cooperation, fuelled by the passion of an incredible athlete and TGR-E engineers who devoted themselves to learning a new discipline.

“Immediately we all recognised how determined, inspiring and knowledgeable Andrea is,” says Norbert Schäfer, parasports project manager at TGR-E. “Even though our first project was for a relatively small component, her attention to detail aligned perfectly with our own philosophy in motorsport and automotive.”

Andrea Eskau

A full-scale joint project focused on a clean-sheet design of a new Nordic ski sled for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Paralympics. Using motorsports-inspired carbon fibre, and component concepts directly taken from TGR-E’s race cars, the sled delivered unparalleled body support, allowing Andrea to manoeuvre accurately and translate more of her energy into forward motion.

When Andrea’s focus switched to the 2020 Summer Paralympics, TGR-E rose to the challenge of developing a new lightweight hand bike, constructed from carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) and tailored precisely to Andrea’s exacting requirements.

“Andrea was involved at every stage, not only providing detailed feedback but actually proposing concepts and solutions; it was a true partnership,” adds Norbert Schäfer. “Both the ski sled and the hand bike projects were a privilege to be involved in, not only personally but as an organisation. We learned a lot about this very specific world and had the honour of being part of Andrea’s incredible journey.”

For TGR-E, success in parasports is measured in knowledge gained and an athlete’s satisfaction in their equipment, although, for the record, Andrea has so far earned three Paralympic gold medals, four silver and two bronze, plus multiple World Championship medals using equipment jointly developed with TGR-E. Earlier this month, Andrea won a silver and a bronze at the World Championships in Glasgow, a few days before becoming a European Champion in Rotterdam.

To further expand its knowledge of parasports engineering and the specific requirements of individual athletes, TGR-E took on a new challenge in 2019: developing a racing wheelchair for a new athlete, Alhassane Baldé.

Alhassane Baldé

Working together with Alhassane and the German Paralympic Committee, a lightweight prototype was constructed using cutting-edge techniques, such as topology optimisation and additive manufacturing. The distinctive ergonomic design minimised wasted energy and showed great promise until the Covid pandemic curtailed the testing programme and prevented its appearance in at the Tokyo Paralympic Games.

Nevertheless, that first prototype laid the foundations for future racing wheelchair developments, including a concept which aids the efficient design of chairs fitted to an athlete’s specific size and disability profile. TGR-E is currently on the lookout for potential testers to contribute to ongoing prototype development of its racing wheelchair.

“In parasports, each athlete has unique requirements for their equipment; no two wheelchairs are the same,” says Norbert Schäfer. “This is a challenge from a manufacturing point of view because we want to offer technology to further athletes, but the cost and practicality of bespoke designs makes additional projects more challenging. So, our engineers created a concept for a multi-adjustable jig to determine athlete-individual design parameters for a racing wheelchair. This has the potential to bring advanced technology to more athletes.”

Anna-Lena Forster

At the same time, the first steps are being taken in the world of mono-ski racing, in cooperation with multiple Paralympic and World Champion Anna-Lena Forster. Mono-ski racing involves complex damping systems and vertical dynamics, offering the potential for motorsport-style set-up analysis and development, as well as technology crossover with racing suspension systems.

As well as enhancing TGR-E’s knowledge, its parasports projects also showcase the services it provides to third party customers from the automotive industry and beyond. Competence in composite design and production, additive manufacturing, aerodynamic modelling, simulation and component design have all gone into TGR-E’s recent parasports developments.

What new projects emerge in the future will be revealed in time. What is clear is that through parasports, TGR-E continues to search for ways to contribute to ever-better technology for athletes, while expanding its knowledge of different disciplines in the process. As the Paralympics draw closer, fuelled by the passion of remarkable athletes like Andrea Eskau, TGR-E’s interest burns bright.

Cloud Providers, News, Sport, Sports Tech

Alibaba Cloud’s Energy Expert Helps Analyse Carbon Footprint for The First Olympic Esports Week

Alibaba Cloud today announced that its AI-driven sustainability solution – Energy Expert – has been trialled to measure and analyse carbon emissions from temporary construction built to host the first Olympic Esports Week, generating data-driven insights on the choice of materials and equipment. The tool has been deployed through Alibaba Cloud’s partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Alibaba Cloud deployed its proven carbon measurement tool, Energy Expert, to measure and analyse the carbon emissions of the event’s temporary construction. A series of metrics including the impact of energy consumption, waste management, signage and decoration were assessed. This software-as-a-service tool was used by the Local Organizing Committee to compare the relative impacts of several types of materials and equipment.

Leveraging the latest tech-driven sustainability solution, Energy Expert allows event organisers to identify the sources of the carbon emissions from venue construction and operation, quantify the carbon footprint generated by a venue and visualise a venue’s sustainability performance via an integrated dashboard and online reports.

According to Alibaba Cloud’s Energy Expert, the carbon footprint of temporary construction for the Olympic Esports Week 2023 is estimated at 274 tons CO2e, after replacing 60% of printed signage with digital alternatives which led to 14 tons CO2e of carbon dioxide emissions reductions, as well as reusing 50% of carpets after the event that would slash emissions further by 10 tons CO2e.

“We are always looking for ways to reduce our impact on the environment, and we’re pleased to work with Alibaba Cloud to apply cutting-edge technologies to measure carbon emissions so we can continue to make a difference,” said Vincent Pereira, Head of Virtual Sport of IOC Sports Department.

“We have been supporting the IOC’s digital transformation of the Olympics since Tokyo 2020, and it has been an honour to be part of this latest, historic milestone for virtual sport. Sustainability is one of the priorities for our sports innovation roadmap. As the sports industry continues to evolve, we’re passionate about providing organisations with timely data, actionable insights and energy-saving recommendations that make positive and tangible impacts,” said Selina Yuan, President of International Business, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence.

The first Olympic Esports Week marks the latest step in the collaboration between the IOC and Alibaba on digital transformation – following the success of developing sports innovations for Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 – and is Alibaba’s first large-scale international project to tackle carbon emissions within the esports industry.

The esports industry has a growing environmental impact as the sport becomes more mainstream. Industry analysis estimates that in 2022 a single esports team could create as much as 100 tonnes of.

CO2 emissions. Individual consumption is also growing as 40% of the global population (three billion people) now play video games, according to industry analyst firm DFC Intelligence, meaning that there’s a significant impact to be addressed.

Besides the carbon measurement of temporary construction, to draw public attention on the importance of reducing carbon footprints, Alibaba Cloud’s web application for Olympic Esports Week, invites the public to take photos of items around them (such as keyboards and headsets) to help understand the carbon footprint of each item and actions that can be taken to reduce this footprint, such as increasing the lifetime of digital equipment or buying second hand equipment. This is achieved through integrating Alibaba Cloud’s AI technologies with traditional emission datasets. Participants can also pledge to take carbon reduction actions in their daily life, such as bringing their e-waste to dedicated collection points for recycling. Participants agreeing to the pledge can earn points on the app, with an aim to earn a Sustainability Champion badge, as part of the web application.

The inaugural Olympic Esports Week, taking place at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, features the best of virtual sports, including Esports competitions, exhibition matches, exhibitions of the latest innovations, as well as a series of panel discussions and education sessions organised by IOC. The festival also played host to the Olympic Esports Series finals, which was the culmination of this year’s Olympic Esports Series which saw top Olympic Esports athletes from around the world competing in ten disciplines for a gold medal.

As a global leading cloud infrastructure provider, Alibaba Cloud is committed to helping organisations slash carbon emissions with emerging technologies such as intelligence computing and AI technologies. Leading the forefront of this notion, Alibaba Cloud strives to achieve Scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon neutrality and commits to powering its cloud computing with 100% clean energy by 2030.

Driving, News, Sport, Sports Tech

Getac’s technology partnership gains ‘access all areas’ during the 2023/24 British Touring Car Championship race season

Getac today announced it is continuing its highly successful technology partnership with the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) for the 2023/24 racing season. The announcement marks the fourth year that Getac has been involved with the BTCC, and the second year it has done so as official technology partner of the series.

The new deal will see Getac continuing to supply the BTCC with its powerful UX10 fully rugged tablets, as well as its cloud-based Electronic Vehicle Inspection Solution to digitise the key scrutineering processes that take place each race. In addition, for the 2023/24 race season, Getac will also be implementing technology to help the race officials and teams with trouble- shooting complex technical issues and skills-based training with the aid of its rugged video solutions and collaboration tools.

 

Digitally led operations

The BTCC has successfully transitioned to a digitally led organisation over the past two seasons, supported by Getac. A key part of this has been replacing traditional paper-based data recording with Getac rugged devices and new digital processes that streamline operations and bolster teams’ data analytics capabilities throughout each race weekend.

Now, with the 2023/24 season fast approaching, the BTCC is looking to take this even further with the inclusion of rugged video solutions.

“We are delighted to continue our long-term technology partnership with the BTCC for another season, supporting its ongoing transition to a fully digital organisation,” says Russell Younghusband, Global Automotive Director, Getac. “As the BTCC continues to grow in popularity around the world, this transition will not only give fans unprecedented levels of access to teams and drivers, but it will also help deliver faster, even more exciting racing, which is what every BTCC fan wants to see week in, week out.”

“Competitive motorsport is all about innovation and our partnership with Getac really embodies this,” says Alan Gow, Chief Executive of the BTCC. “As we move into the 2023/24 season, we’re confident that the experience we offer BTCC fans everywhere is the best it’s ever been, and with the help of Getac, it will only continue to get better.”

Colin Turkington (GBR) WSR BMW

The 2023/24 BTCC race season kicks off on 22-23rd April at Donnington Park. For more information, please visit www.btcc.net.

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About Getac

Getac Technology Corporation is a global leader in rugged mobile technology and intelligent video solutions, including laptops, tablets, software, body-worn cameras, in-car video systems, digital evidence management and enterprise video analytics solutions. Getac’s solutions and services are designed to enable extraordinary experiences for frontline workers in challenging environments. Today, Getac serves customers in over 100 countries spanning defense, public safety, ambulance, fire & rescue, utilities, automotive, natural resources,  manufacturing,  transport,  and  logistics.  For  more  information, visit: http://www.getac.com.

Automotive Tech, Sport, Sports Tech, Technology, Telematics

Visiontrack Continues Partnership With British Truck Racing Championship As Official Video Telematics Provider

VisionTrack is extending its longstanding partnership with the British Truck Racing Championship (BTRC) for a further year. As official video telematics provider, the company will deliver an advanced vehicle camera solution for all competing trucks in Division 1 and Division 2 of the BTRC. Teaming up with Truck Sport UK, VisionTrack will support race activity management throughout the seven-round event, as well as providing high-quality footage for broadcast and media opportunities.

VisionTrack will be using a three-channel system, utilising forward-facing, rear-view and in-cab cameras, so race officials can access a substream feed that downloads footage within seconds to speed-up in-race investigations. This will work alongside livestream video from each truck that assists with the management of on/off track race compliance, while HD video will also be available during and post-race for livestream broadcasting, media clips and a TV highlights programme.

 

Mark Turner, Sporting Manager of British Automobile Racing Club Limited commented: “The British Automobile Racing Club and British Truck Racing Championship (BTRC) are delighted to continue our valued partnership with VisionTrack. As the motorsport industry continues to evolve, providing officials with the information that they need to make the right decisions is paramount. We have worked hand-in-hand with VisionTrack to give officials a system that puts them in control of what footage they want and allows them to quickly assess on track incidents.”

 

Dean Leonard, Vice President of Technical Services at VisionTrack said: “We are excited to be the official video telematics provider for the British Truck Racing Championship for the third year running. Our advanced camera solution is again helping Truck Sport UK to maintain the highest levels of race safety, while providing action-packed content that will attract new fans to this exciting motorsport. I will again be on-hand throughout the competition to support the judicial team within race control and ensure they can access the video and data they require.”

 

VisionTrack is a leading global provider of AI video telematics and connected fleet data. The company’s advanced vehicle camera solutions are underpinned by a device-agnostic, multi-award-winning IoT platform, Autonomise.ai. The company’s unique approach is helping tackle some of the most complex challenges faced by the fleet, road transport and insurance sectors, providing the operational insight, business intelligence and enriched vehicle data needed to make strategic mobility decisions.

 

News, Sport, Sports Tech, Technology

Sportradar’s new solution provides tools to optimise commercial performance  

Sportradar (NASDAQ: SRAD) today announced the launch of Insight Tech Services, a suite of standalone artificial intelligence led solutions for in-house use by sportsbook operators to optimise the performance of their trading, risk management and marketing functions.

Insight Tech Services is a complement to Sportradar’s Managed Trading Services (MTS), allowing the sports technology company to support all sportsbook operators in the marketplace, regardless of their operational preference.

Sportradar’s innovative use of AI allows operators to achieve a deeper understanding of their business and their customers, along with the tools they need to drive operational efficiencies across:

  • Trading: Generates tailored betting odds, more accurate prices, and bespoke betting markets to increase sportsbook margins and enhance customer experience.
  • Risk Management: Processes an enhanced level of betting ticket information enabling operators to examine the risk associated with a specific player account, bet or sports event, limiting the financial exposure of a sportsbook operator.
  • Marketing: Automated player categorising allows operators to personalise the sports betting experience for its customers.

Paolo Personeni, Managing Director Managed Betting Services at Sportradar said: “In the hyper-competitive betting market, sportsbook operators are under pressure to improve performance and engage more deeply with their customers. By combining Sportradar’s market leading artificial intelligence and impressive depth of betting industry data, Insight Tech Services provides operators with the tools they need to manage an efficient sportsbook in-house and directly engage with bettors, delivering a service that’s tailored to the interests and preferences of individual customers.”

Insight Tech Services is the latest AI-driven solution launched by Sportradar, as the sports technology company continues to use the latest in artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to engineer the innovative products and services that address the business needs of its clients.

Games Sector, Gaming & Entertainment, News, Sport, Sports Tech

Real-time moderation solution, Bodyguard.ai signs new partnership with Team BDS to tackle online hate in eSports

  • 70% of people who play games online experience harassment
  • 4 in every 10 messages targeting players after a defeat are toxic.
  • 92% think solutions should be implemented to reduce toxic behaviour in multiplayer games.
  • The first of its kind partnership will help to further the case to fight online hate in eSports.

Real-time gaming moderation solution provider Bodyguard.ai today announces a ground-breaking partnership with Swiss esports organisation Team BDS that aims to lay down a major marker in the battle against online hate in eSports.

Team BDS is a formidable player in the eSports arena. As one of the fastest-growing teams in the world, it has already won the last Rainbow Six Major in Sweden,, the Rocket League Championship series, and were finalists in the League of Legends’ European Masters in 2022 alone.

Online toxicity continues to be a major issue within the gaming community which seems to be particularly prone to the online fight culture tendency on the internet. From insults to threats, the vast majority of gamers are subject to hateful content when playing online. Analysis from Unity Games shows that 72% of gamers experience harassment while playing online, and 92% think solutions should be implemented to reduce toxic behaviour in multiplayer games. One in four women say that toxicity no longer makes them want to play online multiplayer games, according to Women in Games.

Globally, the esports audience will reach 532 million worldwide by the end of 2022 and is expected to reach 640.8 billion by 2025 with sponsorships accounting for almost 60% of its revenue. Overall, the live-streaming audience in video gaming reached almost 810 million in 2021 and is expected to reach 1.41 billion by 2025. This huge growth comes with the potential to expose even more players and fans to toxicity online.

Through the partnership with Bodyguard.ai, Team BDS is taking a strong stance against all forms of toxicity by becoming the very first eSports team to invest in an automated moderation solution for the wellness of its players, fans and partners.

Arnaud Chemin, Head of Gaming at Bodyguard.ai comments: “The gaming sector, and in particular the esports market is booming. We know that millions of people across the world enjoy participating and watching their favourite players and teams. We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Team BDS, one of the fastest growing eSport teams in the world to help protect their athletes and fans from online hate. We are thrilled to be able to work with such a formidable gaming enterprise to raise awareness about the need to address toxicity in the gaming arena and challenge the industry to make it a better, safer, freer environment for all.”

Bodyguard.ai has been supporting Team BDS since April 2022, connecting to its social network accounts including Twitch, Instagram and Twitter. However, the full-scale partnership will provide the team access to the full suite of Bodyguard.ai gaming services.

Bodyguard.ai’s automated moderation service is able to moderate millions of comments in seconds across Twitch, Youtube, chat rooms, in-game chat, forums, fan communities and other social platforms with a 90% success rate.

Users are provided with an easy-to-use single solution capable of providing a detailed analysis of any gaming community, spanning all player behaviour and interactions. Not only does this allow organisations to reward positive behaviour through comprehensive insights and the ability to filter on specific categories, but it also allows action to be taken against those sharing toxic content.

In a time where toxicity in the gaming community is rife, automated solutions can have a massive impact. If left unchecked, problems can soon snowball, causing both targeted and non-targeted players to leave to avoid toxic behaviours. Not only can this leave organisations and communities with dwindling numbers, but it can also harm reputations and inflict damage to brand images.

Chemin adds: “It is clear that gamers are subject to significant levels of online abuse, and that must change. Behind every toxic comment there is a real person who may be significantly affected by the online hate and abuse that they are subjected to. Interactions are an essential part of the player experience. Gaming organisations need to protect their community from disruptive behaviours and harassment. With an automatic moderation solution, conversations will stay healthy and players remain happy and protected – making the sport better for everyone.”