Video Assistant Referee (VAR)
The VAR has taken the world of football by storm. Its introduction to the sport has had mixed
reactions. With this technology, the match officials rely on technology to see exactly what
happened, getting a second perspective on a particular event. The precision of technology is used
to cover the human error factor. The success of this technology has not been analyzed objectively
yet. However, if appropriately applied, it will be a great addition to the much technological
advancement in the sports industry.
Sensor Tools
Sensor tools have come in handy many times when the naked eye cannot establish whether the
ball went over the line or not. There are different sensor tools for different sports. For example,
in Cricket, they use Hawk-Eye technology. The Hawk-Eye analyzes sound to establish if the ball
was hit into the bat before it was caught. The technology also establishes where the ball would
have landed had it not hit a player’s foot. In football, there is the goal-line technology that
determines whether to award a goal or not. Sensor technologies are used to verify the position of
the ball at a given time.
Timing Systems
Timing systems rendered stopwatches obsolete. Precision and consistency have been enhanced
by the elimination of differences in reaction time. Today, in most races, the starter pistol is
linked to a clock. The clock immediately starts timing the run immediately. The pistol goes off.
For swimming, there is a touchpad at the finish lanes and wearable inertial sensors that determine
performance.
RFID Chips
RFID chips target individual contestants in an event. These devices use an antenna to convey
wireless signals. In long-distance races, the RFID chips are used by broadcasters and viewers to
track the exact location of participators during the race. There are two types of RFID chips:
passive and active. Active chips are powered by a battery or any other power source and can be
used to determine the precise time a contestant crosses a particular line. Passive chips, on the
other hand, are used with sensors placed on a mat because they lack a power source. The chips
have also been used successfully in other sports like football. It is possible to find out how many
kilometers a player ran in a match and so on.
Equipment Development
Technological advancements have enabled sports equipment manufacturers to come up with
devices that reduce injuries on athletes. In sports like the American Football league, helmets
have been designed to absorb the shock caused by collisions and protect athletes from head and
neck injuries.
The modern world is run on technology. Sports have also been greatly influenced by technology.
In fact, punters on sports casinos like Betway and the others can quickly analyze teams because
of the data availed from devices. Officiating matches has been made easier, and avoidable
injuries have been avoided.