Everyone’s throwing hat into the virtual reality ring and Intel is no exception.
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“Together, we will scale this new category for sports entertainment that we call immersive sports, which is attracting the attention of leagues, venues, broadcasters and fans”, noted an Intel blog post from Wendell Brooks. The event was broadcast on TV and online using Replay’s “free-dimensional” video technology.
Intel has been working with Replay Technologies since 2013 on this project (referred to as “immersive sports ” ), which has culminated in the former acquiring the latter for $130 million today”.
Intel explains how that collaboration worked: Replay’s freeD technology created a 3D video rendering of the entire court using 28 ultra-HD cameras placed around the area. “The strategic pairing between our two companies makes for a powerful combination”, Replay CEO Oren Yogev said in a statement.
Both Intel and Replay Technologies have collaborated in the past on this technology. The company’s technology formed part of Krzanich’s keynote at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. Intel and Replay Technologies also joined forces during the NBA All-Star Weekend, providing fans a full 360-degree experience of the popular Slam Dunk contest. Intel sees sports as a high-profile opportunity to introduce new technologies that relay on its microprocessors, offsetting a protracted decline in the company’s core PC business. As of now, Intel has acquired at least five companies specializing in such technologies. Replay Technologies is exploiting the potential growth of virtual reality and augmented reality, and supports a service that encourages viewers to “jump” into live events and experience them from any perspective.
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“Immersive sports requires the high-performance computing Intel is known for, and it’s also data driven – fueling the continued build out of the cloud”. By contrast, virtual reality is usually displayed in computer-generated scenes. “For athletes, coaches, broadcasters and fans, the ability to capture, analyze and share data adds compelling new dimensions to the game”.
