CENTRE D’ALT RENDIMENT (CAR) SMART VENUE

CAR is a high performance training centre for elite athletes providing every-

thing necessary for training and competition at the highest level. Technology

is at the heart of CAR’s activities and the use of advanced human tracking

and monitoring systems provide coaches and athletes with the essential data

to push the human body to ever greater achievements.

ENHANCING TRAINING EXPERIENCE AND PERFORMANCE

High performance training is a complex endeavor requiring continuous sup-

port from specialists responsible for analysis of multi-factor data. Coaches

and doctors need accurate measurements in order to offer the correct feed-

back for performance improvements and to avoiding injuries. Feedback must

be timely and often instantaneous to increase the efficiency of training ses-

sions. FMI technologies have the potential to achieve these goals by moving

current laboratory procedures to integral elements of day to day training prac-

tices.

BENEFITS OF TECHNOLOGY TRIALS AT CAR

CAR can help developers understand how new tech-

nologies can track and analyse human activities espe-

cially in the domain of high performance sports. Tech-

nologies trialed at CAR engage athletes, coaches and sports scientists direct-

ly in co-creation and evaluation. CAR enables tests with small groups of ath-

letes and scientific experts. With access to training areas and network/cloud

infrastructure available on site CAR is a unique opportunity.

The Centre d’alt Rendiment is an EX-

PERIMEDIA smart venue offering live

events, communities, and infrastruc-

ture for research and testing of innova-

tive technologies supporting new forms

of social interaction and experience.

Check out what others are doing at

EXPERIMEDIA

WWW.EXPERIMEDIA.EU

THE FUTURE INTERNET IS PLAYING A KEY ROLE

IN ENHANCING EXPERIENCE AND PERFORMANCE

OF ELITE ATHLETES

EXPERIENCE

THE

FUTURE

INTERNET

2013

Sergiusz Zieliński

T: +48 618 502511

E: sergiusz@man.poznan.pl

interactive media for

collaborative sports training

KEY FEATURES:

MOTIVATION

Technology is an essential element of high performance sport

which helps coaches and sports scientists design and exe-

cute training plans for elite athletes. CONFetti focused on

how to support participation of remote coaches in gymnastics

training. Can the availability of coaches be increased by

holding training sessions even when they are not present at

the venue? Does access to additional motion tracking and

sensor data concerning the athletes' performance improve

coaching decisions? Is the transfer of knowledge and instruc-

tions more efficient with the use of archival footage and 3D

model teaching aids? Do new technologies like augmented

reality or stereoscopy appeal to young athletes and make the

sessions more interesting and, in turn, more beneficial?

These are just some of the issues explored by CONFetti.

TECHNICAL INNOVATION

The technologies used included HD videoconferencing, stere-

oscopy, motion tracking and augmented reality. The experi-

ment employed a system allowing the coach to hold a training

session without the need for his presence in the training hall.

He connected remotely with his protégés located in the hall

using a high definition (HD) videoconferencing tool. The

system enabled him to observe the athletes performing their

gymnastics routines and, afterwards, to give them advice

while reviewing an instant replay with slow motion capabili-

ties. Additionally, the coach is able to review and present

archival footage of athletes recorded with stereoscopic (3D)

HD cameras. This footage also includes a 3D model of a

human body reflecting the athlete's movements collected via

motion tracking. The stream with the animated avatar allowed

the coach to analyse the depth of the athlete's motions and

give the athlete more meaningful feedback.

Enhancing collaborative

training processes using HD

video conferencing, 3D

reconstruction of human

activities and augmented

3D/video visualization.

ENHANCING

USER EXPERIENCE

Instant replays in 3D and slow motion

help athletes review performance and

understand coaches remarks. HD

video conferencing with stereoscopy

make the remote training session a

valid alternative to personal interac-

tion.

BENEFITS TO CAR

The system proved to be useful for

sports training applications. The

venue found it beneficial to make use

of the system’s possibilities in the

training process. The tests have

proven that it is feasible to set up

such a system in a real-life training

hall and that its performance is satis-

factory for the purposes evaluated in

the scenario. Making coaches availa-

bility remotely increases efficiency

and reduces costs.

FUTURE

OPPORTNITIES

The platform developed demonstrat-

ed the potential to CAR who have

learned what is possible. The next

steps require procurement of the

supporting infrastructure (cameras,

PC, capture cards) and small devel-

opments to provide remote coaches

additional features.

HD VIDEO CONFERENCING:

3D stereoscopic video conferencing

including archival, instant slow motion

replays and frame by frame analysis.

3D RECONSTRUCTION:

3D models of athlete’s bodies and

training activities reconstructed from

sensor data.

AUGMENTED VIDEO STREAMS:

3D models of human activities overlaid

on video streams.

CONFetti

Petros Daras

T: +30 2310 464160

E: daras@iti.gr

non-invasive

3D reconstruction of biomechanics

KEY FEATURES:

MOTIVATION

3D Media In Sports investigates the usefulness of 3D infor-

mation in weightlifting and cycling high performance sports

training processes. 3D information is a key element for accu-

rate and productive training in many aspects. For instance,

information that in the past was captured either solely by the

trainer and interpreted thanks to their experience (such as

joint kinematics or an aerodynamics profile) or from wearable

devices that can affect the athlete’s performance, can now be

automatically gathered by low cost non-invasive sensing

devices and processed in real-time providing useful feedback

to the user (trainer and/or athlete). By being able to accurate-

ly manipulate this information a whole new world of opportu-

nities emerges in the Future Media Internet (FMI).

TECHNICAL INNOVATION

The Microsoft Kinect was a breakthrough device for capturing

3D information but natively has various problems. Sophisti-

cated algorithms were developed to improve accuracy for the

demands of high performance sport. The algorithms provide

correction of inaccurate depth estimation, constrain the Ki-

nect’s calculated human skeleton data to physical poses to

enhance reliability, as well as many more enhancements that

are particularly suitable for sports biomechanics. Novel algo-

rithms were developed for two use cases (weightlifting and

cycling). For weightlifting the trajectory of the bar was tracked

including its velocity and angle, and the knee angle of the

weightlifter was also recorded. For cycling, aerodynamics

variables such as the cyclist’s frontal area, arm-torso angle,

horizontal axis-torso angle and forearm-arm angle are calcu-

lated. EXPERIMEDIA offers a unique combination of 3D

based biomechanical information enabling more novel appli-

cation domains.

Enhancing training perfor-

mance using low cost non-

invasive visual and depth

sensors

ENHANCING

USER EXPERIENCE

Athletes biomechanical measure-

ments are captured without the re-

strictions associated with invasive

sensors attached to their body. The

system can be easily installed in the

field rather than needing to go to a

laboratory environment.

DEPTH ACQUISITION:

Scene depth information with advanced

filtering to smooth and de-noise for

more accurate measurements.

SKELETAL ACQUISITION:

Robust and realistic skeleton extraction

for up to 15 joints as input to motion

tracking.

.

BIOMECHANICS MEASUREMENTS:

Angles of bones, human joints, body part

surface areas, and calibrated object veloci-

ties and surface areas.

3D Media In Sports

Nicholas Vretos

T: +30 2310 464160

E: vretos@iti.gr

BENEFITS TO CAR

The biomechanical measurements showed

promising results. In weightlifting the accura-

cy of the trajectory was correct but the joint

kinematics were not reliable enough due to

the fast movements of the weightlifter. The

results for the frontal area in cycling are

encouraging. High performance sports train-

ing centres such as CAR benefit from the use

of such technologies and can provide better

services to their athletes and trainers increas-

ing productivity of training sessions at a

fraction of the cost.

FUTURE OPPORTNITIES

With the launch of Kinect HD later in 2013 the

accuracy of the algorithms will be increased

dramatically. Since 3D biomechanical infor-

mation can be streamed over the Internet

seamlessly and accurately, sports communi-

ties using dedicated social media can benefit

from the use of such information and its

integration into new 3D media services.

David Salama Osborne

T: +34 655 822105

E: david.salama@atos.net

accurate analysis of

choreographed team sports

KEY FEATURES:

MOTIVATION

Live Synchro demonstrates a new procedure to improve the

accuracy and execution of the performance of the synchro-

nized swimming (“synchro”) teams on a mandatory routine of

the Olympic Games. In a sport like synchro, having pro-

cessed audio-visual content and being able to watch and

learn from it can improve the training results, but today train-

ing sessions are captured and processed manually. Live

Synchro aims to put professional audio-visual acquisition and

production tools into the hands of coaches allowing them to

provide real-time feedback at the pool side. Can technologies

enhance the process to improve the execution, quality and

accuracy of the synchronized swimming routines including

quality of the artistic and technical results? Can the FMI

increase the quality of training sessions by more effective

feedback, increasing collaboration with remote trainers and

making it easier for athletes to make their own contributions

to choreographies?

TECHNICAL INNOVATION

Audio-visual media services are at the heart of the system

providing streaming to internet, streaming to a local player,

remote control over streams, storage of a video (temporary or

archive) and transcoding. Sport-specific services are provid-

ed to annotate music choreographies, to manage training

sessions and the teams involved. Statistical information is

collected about the usage of the infrastructure in terms of

Quality of Service metrics reported to EXPERIMEDIA’s ECC.

This is important to understand the demands such novel

training processes place on the infrastructure at CAR.

Enhancing the quality of

choreographed team sports

using professional audio-

visual content management

and metadata syncrhonisa-

tion

ENHANCING

USER EXPERIENCE

Increased accuracy of the analysis of

training routines with more timely

feedback to teams. Less time wasted

handling audio visual content.

BENEFITS TO CAR

Training processes would be more

efficient due to the reduction in the

time taken by coaches, athletes and

staff to manage and review audio-

visual content.

FUTURE

OPPORTNITIES

The system was a prototype demon-

strating ideas and requires producti-

sation before production deployment.

The system is applicable to other

disciplines with similar characteristics

such as artistic gymnastics.

TRAINING PATTERNS:

Music annotations describing all figures

and elements of routines.

METADATA SYNCHRONISATION:

Live synchronization of training videos with

training pattern metadata.

AUDIO VISUAL CONTENT MANAGEMENT:

Training session content acquired and easily shared

with the team pool side and remotely afterwards.

Live Synchro

Jose Manuel Jimenez

T: + 34 696 274987

E: JMJimenez@stt-systems.com

wireless sensor

motion capture and 3D visualisation

KEY FEATURES:

MOTIVATION

Quick delivery of performance data to the athletes and coach-

es is an essential part of any training programme. The availa-

bility of mobile devices (such as tablets, laptops, etc.) has the

potential to make data collection from sensors and providing

real-time feedback to athletes much easier. Sensors are

getting smaller allowing them to be worn by athletes without

restricting their movements. Add in Wi-Fi connectivity and

you can imagine systems where performance data is continu-

ous collected, transferred, processed and analysed through-

out training sessions. How do all these trends influence train-

ing programmes? That’s what the experiment was investigat-

ing.

TECHNICAL INNOVATION

3D Acrobatics carried out research on synchronization of

motion capture, video and metadata. Wireless inertial sen-

sors were used to capture biomechanics data which was

transferred to a local device for instantaneous visualisation of

athletes’ movements through a synchronised 3D model and

video. Specific biomechanical models were developed for the

Pommel Horse exercises to provide the data necessary for

assessment of the training process. The devices also connect

to a data management service hosted on a private cloud

making it available for further processing and sharing with the

community. The data from this experiment when connected

to CONFetti generated 3D models to be displayed in the HD

video conferencing system. The athlete has the possibility of

sharing her/his data with trainers, colleagues and friends who

might be geographically distributed, thus enlarging the experi-

ence to wider communities.

Enhancing visitor experi-

ence using gamification of

learning, collective interac-

tive role playing and immer-

sive experiences

ENHANCING

USER EXPERIENCE

Wireless sensors make measure-

ments possible in the field without

having to go to the laboratory.

BENEFITS TO CAR

Sports scientists now understand the

strengths and limits of current inertial

sensors and have experienced ap-

proaches for incorporating wireless

sensor technologies into athlete’s

training programmes.

FUTURE

OPPORTNITIES

The experiment highlighted some

limitations for the use of inertial sen-

sor for gymnastics disciplines. CAR

identified other activities such as

football, cycling and rehabilitation

where the technology would be more

suitable. These are now being ex-

plored by STT.

INERTIAL MOTION CAPTURE:

Wireless motion sensors for tracking

human activities.

MOTION CAPTURE/VIDEO SYNC:

Synchronisation of metadata with video

generated by motion capture.

3D VISUALISATION:

Instantaneous visualisation of athletes’

motion on mobile training devices.

.

3D Acrobatic Sports

Josep Escoda (CAR Smart Venue) CTO - Chief Technology Officer Secretary General ASPC Av. Alcalde Barnils 3-5 08174 Sant Cugat del Valles Barcelona, SPAIN T +34 93 5891572 E jescoda@ies.car.edu Michael Boniface (Project Coordinator) IT Innovation Centre Gamma House Enterprise Road, Southampton England SO16 7NS T +44 23 8059 8866 E info@experimedia.eu W www.it-innovation.soton.ac.uk WWW.EXPERIMEDIA.EU

EXPERIENCE

THE

FUTURE

INTERNET