Text/VR Gyro Small Drill Wind
The Winter Olympics not only set fire to the ice piers and Gu Ailing, but also to athletes from various countries, from russia's three sets of dolls, Japan's Feather Yu String, to the Swedish colleagues who participated in the Winter Olympics, Canada's championship-winning anti-cancer fighters...
Since the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, VR/AR technology has gradually entered the field of vision of the Winter Olympic audience, and it is also the beginning of the application of these technologies in the Olympic Games, after 4 years, how much the VR/AR application of the Beijing Winter Olympics has changed, Gyro Jun takes you to see together.
In 2018, he walked into vr/AR for the Winter Olympics for the first time
VR/AR in 2018 has gone down the altar, but the value points of VR/AR technology are still discovered and applied by the Olympic Committee, and continue to the following Winter Olympic Games this year.
Take stock of the application of VR/AR technology for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, mainly in: VR live broadcasting, AR navigation, VR training, and VR entertainment experience.
Image source: Network
1. VR live broadcast
VR live streaming is contracted by NBC and Intel, a commercial broadcaster in the United States. In 2016, Intel established the Sports Division to provide VR live streaming of major sporting events such as the Spanish Football League, the Super Bowl, and the NBA through its Ture VR technology (acquired by the Israeli company Replay in the same year).
At the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, NBC used Intel's Ture VR technology to broadcast live matches, behind-the-scenes player preparations, Pyeongchang Winter Olympic venues, and South Korean attractions. Intel allegedly placed more than 20 180° cameras at the venue.
Users only need to install the NBC Sprts VR app on their mobile phones to watch the game, and the headsets supported are also very close to the people, from Google Cardboard to WMR, but are not compatible with high-end headsets such as Oculus Rift. (VR live streams are paid to watch, and on-demand is free.) ）
In the end, the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics became the first winter Olympics in history to be broadcast live in VR, and this VR live broadcast became the largest live VR game broadcast at that time.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics also had Intel VR technology, but unfortunately, in August 2021, news broke that Intel was shutting down its 360° sporting video business and selling some of its business to U.S. communications giant Verizon.
2. AR navigation
Let's look at AR navigation at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. From the moment they arrive at the Airport and Railway Station in South Korea, they can use the AR Navigation Tool AR Ways launched by the organizer to navigate, and take the light rail to the Winter Olympic venues under the guidance.
At the Olympic Village, the app can also direct visitors to specific venue seats. Allegedly, the accuracy of this navigation is even higher than gps.
3. VR training
In addition to VR live broadcasting and AR navigation, VR training also attracted attention at that time. Before the race, skiers use VR headsets for ski simulation training, and with the cooperation of VR and 360° video, simulate the terrain, goal positions, transformations and other sports details of the real arena.
The use of VR for sports training is not uncommon at present, in addition to the Winter Olympic athletes, football players and so on will also be in many large international events for pre-competition VR training.
In addition to VR training, spectators can experience "VR roller coasters" and "VR sleds" at the experience hall next to the main venue of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. Samsung has also set up sports-related VR experiences for athletes to ease the tension of the game.
In addition, the performance of "Beijing 8 Minutes" ("Meet in Beijing 2022") at the closing ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics also used AR technology, and the Beijing 8 Minutes was also directed by Zhang Yimou.
After 4 years, the Winter Olympics landed in Beijing, compared with the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, what kind of changes have taken place in the application of VR/AR technology?
After 4 years
What is the VR/AR content of the 2022 Winter Olympics?
On February 4, 2022, the Beijing Winter Olympics opened at the National Gymnasium. This year's Winter Olympics also used VR live broadcasting, AR navigation, VR training, and added richer AR applications on this basis. Gyro Jun collected and summarized this according to the information of all parties.
In terms of VR, it is still dominated by VR live broadcasting, in addition to VR training, as well as VR games for leisure and entertainment.
1. VR live broadcast and interview
This year's Winter Olympics VR live broadcast is less blessed with Intel VR technology, but it is not absent. By downloading the CCTV Video VR version of the app (only online Pico Neo 3), viewers can use the VR headset to watch 8K HD VR curling, ice hockey and other events for free, including a total of 19 match days and about 569 matches.
In 2022, both the resolution and network support of VR headsets have been significantly improved compared with 2018. Judging from the released pictures, the shooting end should be an Insta360 Pro 2 VR camera, combined with the 5G network for VR live broadcasting.
CCTV is an early adopter of Insta360, favoring it, and it is found in many official large-scale events. In addition to using a VR headset to watch, viewers can also view the VR panoramic video of the Winter Olympics in 360 degrees through the webpage or mobile app.
The VR panoramic camera is not only for video services, it can also capture the athletes on the field in real time, and reproduce the game process through VR to assist the referee's judgment.
The relevant personnel also entered the Winter Olympic venues for VR panoramic shooting.
VR panoramic shooting (Source: Network)
2. VR training
In terms of VR training, the Winter Olympics also introduced a number of sets of related VR training simulators, it is understood that including steel frame snow mountain training system, cross-country ski training system, snow mountain training system, alpine rotation training system, and multi-functional training system for athletes to conduct pre-game simulation training.
3. VR entertainment
In addition to the above two items, VR games also appeared in the Winter Olympic Village this year. Athletes from all over the world had a lot of fun with vr games, and they couldn't stop posting. Game manufacturers also launched a VR Winter Olympic series IP for the Winter Olympics, such as "Fantasy Skiing".
VR games are popular with athletes in the Winter Olympic Village (Source: Network)
Compared with VR, AR showed more diversified functions at the Beijing Winter Olympics. In addition to AR navigation, the performance, promotion, studio, intelligent operation and maintenance and prevention and control, digital people, entertainment projects, etc. of the opening ceremony have their own figures.
1. AR helps stage performances
Baidu hot search According to the daily average analysis of the search heat in the 30 days before the start of the previous Olympic Games, the Beijing Winter Olympics is 5 times hotter than the last Winter Olympics, which is the hottest Winter Olympics in history. This heat reached a new climax at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics.
"Build a Snowflake" program is one of the most impressive scenes in the opening ceremony, in addition to the 60 meters high, 20 meters wide giant LED screen, super real-time motion capture interaction is the key, AR also played a role.
The 96 snowflakes with the names of various countries (districts) gathered together are virtual snowflakes through AR technology. It is said that a total of 11 people participated in the production of relevant AR effects, including AR technology operation, AR scene art and closed-loop project support.
In addition to snowflakes, the ice-breaking five rings are also a combination of virtual and real, through three-dimensional virtual design, performance visual immersion contrast, semi-physical simulation technology and other ways to achieve, and finally present a scene that makes the audience marvel.
Source: People's Daily
2. AR navigation tour
After the opening of Zhangjiakou Winter Olympic Village, Athletes and Athletes of the Winter Olympics can enjoy AR navigation and guided tour services. Enter the app, open the phone camera to identify the surrounding real scene, you can lock your own position, enter the destination, follow the AR virtual arrow on the ground to reach the various locations of the Olympic Village.
According to reports, this AI+AR navigation system is developed by SenseTime and can be used anywhere in the 300,000-square-meter area, and can always maintain accurate positioning and no delay. And compared with traditional navigation, this set of AR navigation integrates route identification with real scenes, and the user experience is more intuitive and immersive.
The AR navigation application also does not require a separate App, and can be easily experienced with the help of a web browser, and supports iOS, Android, and Hongmeng operating system mobile terminals.
3. AR event promotion mini program
AR promotion marketing has become one of the most trendy marketing methods at present. In this Winter Olympics, the National Speed Skating Hall launched an AR event promotion mini program to cooperate with the promotion of the Beijing Winter Olympics. Through the Mini Program, users can learn about the Winter Olympic Games schedule, projects and other information under the guidance of the "popular star" ice pier and snow rongrong.
4. AR Studio
The most surprising commentator of this Winter Olympics is none other than the Olympic champion Wang Meng, who is in the studio but his heart is in the short track speed skating field. The studio where Wang Meng is located uses AR virtual technology, and the scene can change with the live broadcast content, creating an immersive visual experience, which helps Wang Meng's passionate explanation.
In addition, virtual VIZART technology was added to the studio's tactical analysis system to enrich the professionalism of the event commentary. At present, Vizrt's AR technology has repeatedly helped large-scale galas and New Year's Eve concerts to serve AR effects.
5. AR intelligent operation and maintenance and prevention and control
The operation and maintenance work of this year's Winter Olympics has added AR operation and maintenance solutions to focus on solving operation and maintenance problems such as bobsleigh tracks and ski jumping centers.
According to reports, ar operation and maintenance technology single station only needs a mobile phone to complete the on-site troubleshooting, at the same time, its AR remote assistance module allows remote experts to provide guidance from the perspective of front-line personnel.
In addition to operation and maintenance, the prevention and control work behind the Beijing Winter Olympics is also a place for AR to exert its fists. The Winter Olympics combined with AR technology to facilitate visual management, achieve comprehensive regional control, break through the emergency height of the outbreak situation, and so on.
6. AR Entertainment (Tai Chi)
This year's Winter Olympic athletes settled in the Winter Olympic Village, in addition to fancy punching, there is another activity that has aroused their curiosity, that is, AR Tai Chi. AR technology captures the movements of each participant, allowing them to understand the culture of medicine while exercising.
In the Exhibition Space of Chinese Medicine Culture at the Winter Olympics, AR Taijiquan has become the most popular experience at present, and athletes have stopped to learn AR Taijiquan in front of the screen.
Digital people debut at the Winter Olympics
The ice pier NFT surged nearly a thousand times in two days
In this Winter Olympics, in addition to the VR/AR applications mentioned above, popular technologies such as naked-eye 3D, digital people, NFTs and so on have also been unveiled, especially digital people and ice pier NFTs, which have attracted much attention.
Including Baidu's virtual sign language anchor, even the weather anchor Feng Xiaoshu is also an AI virtual person. Feng Xiaoshu was created by The China Meteorological Administration Huafeng Meteorological Media Group and Xiaoice Company, and was inaugurated 10 days before the opening of the Winter Olympics.
Feng Xiaoshu was trained by the human host Feng Shu, so he was very close to a real person from appearance to body movement.
Feng Xiaoshu (Source: Network)
In addition, Gu Ailing, as a well-deserved group favorite, also has his own virtual person Meet Gu, but compared with Feng Xiaoshu, the style is more cartoonish.
In addition to the eye-catching virtual people, the Beijing Winter Olympics mascot ice pier NFT is even more fire to the point of failure, it is said that the sales of seconds are empty, second-hand transactions soared nearly a thousand times, netizens said: We mortals can not grab.
The IOC's officially authorized digital blind box of the ice pier was released on the nWayPlay platform for limited sale at 1:00 a.m. Beijing time on February 12, with a price of $99, for a total of 500 pieces.
It is understood that the current price of the ice pier NFT series has risen to about $1,000, and the lowest price is also $700. Some analysts believe that the combination of NFT and sports will be a new business opportunity.
epilogue
This year's Winter Olympics not only has a higher VR/AR content than the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, but also brings more expansion opportunities for VR/AR, including the demand for online and offline VR experience brought by the ski learning boom, and there are currently online ski VR games online, and offline manufacturers such as the popular Qi Tian are following the trend.