Ever wonder what the pitch looks like for Cristiano Ronaldo as he weaves his way through opponents, searching for the perfect moment to create his brand of magic? Or what the world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt, sees as he leaves his opponents in the dust?
With the innovative, new wearable technology, from Barcelona, Spain-based, First V1sion, now you can. With a camera attached to the jersey, you can see exactly what an athlete sees in their field of vision.
The first professional team to try out this technology is LIGA BBVA’s Córdoba CF, based in Andalusia, Spain.
Here’s how First V1sion integrated the technology into their game:
As with other wearable technologies on the market, First V1sion tracks things that the wearer as well as fans may find useful, such as the distance travelled as well as heart rate. Fans, coaching staff, and the media can track players such as Córdoba CF’s midfielder Fede Vico’s heart rate as he walks out the team tunnel or races down the pitch to win the ball.
As their Twitter feed shows, Córdoba CF aren’t the only team or sport to take advantage of their “first person” point of view.Basketball, horse, and motorcycle racing as well as athletics are sports that can add a new dimension for fans and players alike.
Eurobasketball league player, Nacho Llovet, another athlete who has begun integrating the technology into his game, needs gear that won’t wear him down as he runs the court. The total weight of under 400 grams (approximately 14 ounces) won’t do that.
Broadcast quality video using the 1080p standard in native resolution format makes it worth a look for fans as well as for sports channels looking to give their viewers something very different. Their technology boasts less than two millisecond latency, making for a very crisp, real-time feel to the broadcast.
With some early success with Euroleague’s Club Joventut de Badalona (Nacho Llovet’s team) and La Liga’s Córdoba CF, leagues from outside Europe may come calling. According to their company’s information packet, there is interest from Egypt, a powerhouse of the African continent, as well as the Secondary Soccer League in Brazil, a country where the game is synonymous with passion.
First V1sion is on the right track with their use of this new broadcast technology. Fans of sports are always looking for new and interesting ways to get a different look at the team or sport they follow. First V1sion paired with several of Spain’s top television channels (Cuatro, LaSexta, Antena3, Tele5, TVE) to show off what they can do to enhance the viewing experience and 20 million people tuned in.
If there is one major drawback to this technology, it would be how some viewers may feel if they’re affected by motion sickness. They may experience vertigo while watching the athlete slip, fall, take a hit that knocks them to the ground, etc.
All in all, First V1sion offers fans a unique view that certainly provides a new and unique way to watch sports.