The world of sports is filled with incredible talent, but unfortunately, not all of it gets the recognition it deserves. Traditional scouting methods often miss out on identifying the next big superstar, leaving many gifted athletes undiscovered and unrecognized. But what if there was a way to find and nurture talent with just a smartphone? Thanks to Intel’s AI platforms, this dream is now a reality.
For many years, the search for athletic talent has been like finding a needle in a haystack. Millions of athletes around the world, but only a small fraction of them make it to the elite level. This is particularly evident in football, the world’s most popular sport. With over 300 million players of all ages and skill levels, the chances of being noticed and given the opportunity to showcase one’s talent are slim. But Intel’s AI platforms are changing the game.
In partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Intel recently embarked on a mission to uncover hidden athletic potential in Senegal. The project involved touring five villages and measuring the physical and cognitive abilities of a thousand children through a series of jumping, speed, and strength drills. The results were astounding – 40 promising young athletes were identified, and the Senegalese National Olympic Committee hopes to train them for the upcoming Youth Olympic Games in Dakar 2026.
The key to this success lies in Intel’s AI platforms, which have revolutionized the way we analyze sporting performance. The system works entirely from video footage captured on a smartphone. This means that talent can be identified and nurtured in any town or village, regardless of location. But it’s not just about accessibility; Intel’s AI platforms are also fast, scalable, and affordable, making it possible to analyze up to 1,000 biomechanics data points. This is made possible by Intel’s Gaudi accelerators and Xeon Scalable processors, along with the optimizations of OpenVINO™.
According to Caroline Rhoades, Intel Olympic Games Marketing Manager, the ultimate goal is to bridge the gap between talent and opportunity. She states, “Certain areas of the world may have the best talent; however, these individuals may go undiscovered due to a lack of resources or opportunities. This is the gap we are hoping to bridge with Intel-powered AI sports performance technology.”
The impact of this technology goes beyond just finding the next superstar. With the system accessible through a free smartphone app, anyone can capture and upload their video and access performance metrics to help them improve. This levels the playing field for all aspiring athletes, regardless of their background or resources. Additionally, clubs and programs can now use this technology as part of their scouting efforts, broadening the pool of talent beyond what was previously possible with traditional methods.
But the benefits of Intel’s AI platforms don’t end there. During the upcoming Olympic Games Paris 2024, fans will have the opportunity to experience the technology firsthand at the Intel AI Platform Experience in collaboration with Samsung. The activation will have five different training zones, allowing fans to train like elite athletes and gain insight into their own athletic performance and potential.
Sarah Vickers, head of Intel’s Olympic and Paralympic Games Program, explains, “Visitors will have an opportunity to do a series of activities and compare themselves to key athletes and understand where their potential is. And beyond that, it will really help give the average person an idea of where they are most athletically inclined.”
But it’s not just about identifying potential Olympic athletes; Intel’s AI platforms can also benefit all athletes, from fitness enthusiasts to top professionals. With the ability to provide performance analysis based solely on camera input, it can help serious athletes reach their goals. The video analytics system can capture and track metrics continually during training and play, without interfering with performance or causing distractions. This means that critical data that might have been missed before can now be captured, leading to better training and injury prevention.
Rhoades shares an example of how this technology can be a game-changer for professional teams, saying, “A coach told me that if this system can use video to predict an ankle injury in my top player, I can start their physical therapy immediately, prevent them from missing games, and possibly win a championship instead of having my star player on the bench.”
The possibilities are endless with Intel’s AI platforms, and the impact can be felt not just in the world of sports, but also in other industries. For example, these platforms were also used to optimize logistics for
