Chairman Gary Bettman NHL General Manager Meeting This spring provided a clear timeline for when the league could implement usage. Tracking technology will certainly influence everything from puck positioning to confirming whether the puck has completely crossed the goal line.
“I am confident this will be effective,” Bettman stated at the time. “We will test and retest it, but we are fully committed to investing in technology that enhances the game.”
In collaboration with Sony, the NHL is advancing its technological innovations, including expanding the use of Hawkeye’s measurement and tracking technology for the Stanley Cup Final.
This technology, already prevalent in tennis, has developed to accurately determine whether a ball is in or out and assists hockey officials and league situation rooms in making precise calls for close plays on the ice.
“We are making progress — we are getting closer,” remarked David Lehansky, NHL executive vice president of business development and innovation. “The solution will integrate various types of inputs and technologies… It could involve active tracking of pucks, players, and jerseys.”
Over the last decade, the league has utilized Sony’s Hawk-Eye Technology as part of its synchronized multi-angle replay technology (SMART) service, enhancing replay reviews and coaching challenges across all team areas for speed and accuracy. It also aids in monitoring player health and safety.
The technology has been refined to capture 29 skeletal points on each player, plus three additional skeletal points on the stick.
“This enables us to have a detailed, real-time view of athletes’ movements,” said Rufus Hack, CEO of Hawk-Eye Innovations. “The NHL has a clear and ambitious vision for this technology, though it’s still in early development.”
Lehanski noted that this combination of technical elements proves beneficial on the ice, covering everything from penalties to player positioning. By removing the ice in visualizations, and enhancing animated broadcasts, the league aspires for Sony cameras to bring fans closer to the action within the arena.
“(It’s) about delivering that gaming experience directly into people’s homes,” emphasized Teresa Alesso, Sony’s president of imaging products and solutions for the Americas. “As camera technology advances to become sharper and more agile, integrating those angles into the game becomes increasingly vital.”
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Source: apnews.com