By Erin Scheg, C2ST Intern, Loyola University

Like billions of people across the globe, I watched countless hours of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games. While tuning in to the much anticipated event, I was amazed to learn about the advancing technology implemented into every aspect of the Games. Technology has played a large role in improving the experiences of the viewer and athlete alike. From improving the safety, health, and performance of the athletes to offering perspectives that remote viewers could never have imagined, technology has radically changed the Olympic experience.

One new advancement to the Paris Olympics is the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) implementation of the “Olympic AI Agenda”, which aimed to transform the experience for the athletes, organizers, audience, and viewers. The Olympics produces more than 11,000 hours of broadcast coverage sent all around the world. The use of AI helps refine broadcasting and viewer engagement by incorporating automatic highlights and 8K live streaming to the experience. 8K live streaming has higher resolution, resulting in sharpened and more detailed images, alongside improved color accuracy. AI can also provide real-time descriptions and subtitles providing accessibility for a variety of Olympic enthusiasts. This AI-driven system allows broadcasters to readily include more customized digital content for the viewer. Additionally, as part of the AI agenda, emerging technology is being used to protect athletes from online abuse by monitoring social media accounts and flagging any abusive messages. This system will operate across all major social media platforms in over 35 languages, aiming to remove those messages before the athletes have a chance to see them, allowing them to focus on their performance.  

While AI and other innovations significantly enhance the viewer experience,  the magic of the Olympics is really about the athlete’s performances. These extraordinary achievements, however, wouldn’t be possible without cutting-edge athletic technologies, like wearable devices. Every year, athletes have continued to improve and break records and one of the key reasons for these achievements is evolving digital technology. Wearable technology, such as smartwatches, allows athletes to track and analyze their heart rates and sleep patterns. They also use specialized sensors such as GPS sensors to track movements and Velocity Based Training (VBT) sensors. VBT sensors involve using specialized equipment, usually a barbell, to measure the speed of an athlete’s lift. The data from this technology helps coaches and trainers identify an athlete’s strengths, and where they could improve.  Monitoring heart rates provides objective indicators of the body’s exertion level, helping athletes maintain a safe exercise heart rate. Monitoring sleep patterns is also crucial as sleep can impact athletic performance, injury risk, cognitive function, and overall health. In addition, cameras can allow athletes to watch their performances and see where adjustments to their techniques need to be made. These technologies offer precise data that coaches and athletes use to optimize both workouts and recovery.

Another area where technological advancements have made a significant impact in the Olympics is athletic clothing. For example, swimwear has evolved dramatically over time, contributing to the achievement of new world records. Historically, swimsuits evolved from heavy wool to nylon and Lycra, which reduced drag and improved swimmers’ performance. Then during the late 1990s and early 2000s, full-body polyurethane swimsuits were introduced with the aim to compress the body, improve swimmer’s streamline, and reduce water resistance. The results were over 25 world records being broken during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. However, this groundbreaking swimwear which created a greater advancement for the swimmers was banned due to fairness and integrity of the sport alongside new rules on the coverage of the suits. Despite the ban on polyurethane swimwear, new innovations continue to be made, showcasing the continued impact of technology on athletic performance. 

The integration of advanced technology in the Olympics has transformed every aspect of the Olympic games from broadcasting and audience experience to athletic performance and safety. The implementation of AI elevates the Olympic experiences through enhanced broadcasting, real-time engagement, and protecting athletes against online abuse. Wearable technology and data analysis revolutionized training and performance optimization. Even what the athletes’ clothes are made of can make a difference in how athletes perform. Can you imagine what new technological advancements might take place in the LA 2028 Summer Olympics?

References

1. https://www.insta360.com/blog/tips/best-8k-action-cameras-2024.html 
2. https://www.cooperaerobics.com/blog/Tracking-Heart-Rate-During-Exercise#:~:text=While%20you%20can%20easily%20track%20frequency%20and%20duration%2C%20determining%20the,your%20heart%20rate%20will%20be. 
3. https://olympics.com/en/news/paris-2024-olympics-the-effects-of-technological-advancements-on-world-record-swimming-times 
4. https://nptiflorida.edu/the-impact-of-sleep-on-your-fitness-progress-and-performance/#:~:text=It%20 plays%20a%20 critical%20role,improvements%20in%20your%20fitness%20progress. 
5. https://cactusware.com/blog/sports-technology 
6. https://olympics.com/ioc/news/ai-system-to-protect-athletes-from-online-abuse-during-paris-2024 
7. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02427-0#:~:text=The%20ways%20in%20which%20AI,playing%20sports%2C%E2%80%9D%20he%20says. 
8. https://olympics.com/ioc/news/ai-and-tech-innovations-at-paris-2024-a-game-changer-in-sport
9. https://olympics.com/ioc/news/ioc-takes-the-lead-for-the-olympic-movement-and-launches-olympic-ai-agenda 
10. https://amplify.nabshow.com/articles/ic-olympics-ai-broadcast/#:~:text=AI%2C%20they%20said%2C%20is%20transforming,definition%2C%20low%2Dlatency%20viewing. 
11. https://www.yellowbrick.co/blog/sports/the-impact-of-technology-on-sports-performance
12. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3739437/How-competitive-swimwear-changed-past-century.html