There has been a lot of talk this year about 3D, and what 3D means for sports. But most of the talk has been centered around how those sitting on the couch will experience the game, not in how it is played. So far the emphasis has been in watching sports in 3D on TV, but this weekend The New York Times reported that another facet of 3D is in the works, which could make the way the athletes prepare for the game – big and small.
The technology in place is similar to the motion capture used in the making of video games. It uses advanced sensors combined with biomechanic and orthopedic research, and track an athlete from all directions. But instead of making for a more compelling video game experience, this technology will allow researchers to determine how to get the most power when throwing a ball, swinging a bat or just plain running. Thus instead of merely recording an athlete with a video camera, this can provide a fully 3D representation – ala Avatar – of the athlete. This can then be viewed from any angle, and used to analyze not only the performance, but how much stress is on the joints, ball speeds and the G-forces used to hurl the ball.
This also isn’t some niche project either. Among the schools working on this include the Movement Lab at New York University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, while several pro teams have already gotten into 3D. Could this really be the next dimension for sports?
Movement Labs at New York University
[Via The New York Times: From ‘Avatar’ Playbook, Athletes Use 3-D Imaging]