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Hosted at an unprecedented time due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 Summer Olympics (branded Tokyo 2020, held in 2021 and officially called the Games of the XXXII Olympiad) will be remembered not only for the outstanding performance of the athletes, but also for the world championships. Being one of the most technologically advanced Games ever hosted.

Cloud technology was first used at the Olympics and as a technologist I am excited to see cloud technologies playing an instrumental role in driving the digital transformation of the Games. The cloud infrastructure has enabled innovative technology applications so that the Games can successfully overcome many of the hurdles posed by the pandemic, while laying a new foundation for how the Olympic Games and other major sporting events will be broadcast, organized and interacted with. fans in the future. Needless to say, we are already excited about the opportunities cloud technology will open up at future Olympics.

Biggest technological change since satellite transmission

As an example of how cloud technology is revolutionizing Tokyo 2020, we should look to one of the most important components, the global broadcasting community serving millions of viewers. Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) produced over 9,500 hours of content during the Games, 30% more than in Rio 2016, and some of the content is in 8K for the first time. With spectators not allowed on the pitch in Tokyo this year, the role of broadcasters has become even more important to the Games and global fans.

Collaborating with OBS to support service delivery for rightsholder publishers (RHBs) for the first time, a robust and secure cloud platform called OBS Cloud introduced new models for content delivery to support operational efficiency and greater agility. Operating entirely in the cloud and demonstrating the immense flexibility offered by technology, OBS Cloud is designed to truly transform the media industry and prepare it for all the opportunities the digital age has to offer.

As the pandemic has prevented fans from participating in the Games, it has become imperative for publishers to globally access high-quality content that can be distributed across multiple platforms to help share the drama and emotions of the Games. To this end, up to 9,000 short-form content clips were produced by the OBS Content+ team during Tokyo 2020 to help improve RHB coverage. Clips can be accessed by RHB’s digital and social media teams from anywhere in the world to support their Olympic broadcast. This technology has satisfied millions of fans by enabling broadcasters to stream the Games from anywhere in the world in a more cost-effective, secure and flexible way, providing a continuous and consistent stream of broadcast content throughout the Games. for part of the action!

It’s easy to see why this broadcast development has excited OBS CEO Yiannis Exarchos. According to him, the partnership with Alibaba Cloud has changed how the Olympic Games are broadcast to the widest possible audience. He reflected that this was “the biggest technological change in the broadcast industry in more than half a century since the introduction of satellite transmission.” This is a remarkable milestone, given that satellite transmission first came under Olympic broadcast coverage in 1964.

Also used as part of the post production workflow, OBS used the Content+ platform for remote editing and standard conversion, a feature that will be extended as a service to RHBs for future Olympics.

Protected by the cloud – keeps staff safe

Of course, the event organizers and staff are at the heart of the Games’ presentation, and Tokyo 2020 has provided their own set of challenges due to the extreme summer heat. To illustrate the risks faced by game workers, more than 8,000 people were taken to hospitals suffering from heatstroke symptoms in Japan from July 19-25 this year, while Tokyo 2020 officially kicked off on July 23.

I believe that technology can help respond effectively to such critical situations. That’s why we’ve introduced a cloud-based solution to help reduce the risk of heatstroke for weather-exposed onsite personnel. Via a smart in-ear device, the technology helped track employee body temperature and heart rate. Based on this information and the surrounding heat index (including temperature, humidity, and direct or bright sunlight), a cloud-based system determined the risk of heat stroke in real time. Alerts were then sent to high-risk personnel, along with recommended precautionary measures such as drinking more water to reduce the chance of heatstroke.

The innovation was well received by Hidemasa Nakamura, head of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games Organizing Committee (TOCOG) Main Operations Center. Perhaps more importantly, it was well received by the Game staff; Tokyo 2020 has been reported to be one of the hottest Olympic Games in history.

Ongoing interaction with fans

Unfortunately, the pandemic has prevented global fans from being present at the Games. But technology can always play a positive role in overcoming challenges. Last year, we spent a lot of time working with TOCOG on a digital remote fan engagement program called “Passion to Share”. Leveraging cloud and digital editing technology, this amazing project has inspired sports fans around the world to support their favorite teams and athletes on a more personal level, no matter where they are fans or teams. It used AI-powered technology to aggregate real-time videos uploaded by fans to social media platforms and broadcast them in venues to cheer, support and motivate athletes. You can imagine the excitement provided by this innovative solution as it fills the arena with the cheers of the audience, conveying high-energy, positive vibes among fans and athletes alike.

The connection is irreplaceable and the Olympic Games are one of the best examples of the connection between fans and athletes, different generations and cross-border sports communities. Staying true to this value, we created our first Cloud Pin, a cloud-based digital pin designed for broadcast and media professionals who are constantly working to cover the Games for all of us. The wearable digital device enables contactless exchange of information and is designed to help media professionals working at the International Broadcast Center and Main Press Center connect with each other and exchange social media accounts in a secure and interactive way. As a badge or attached to a lanyard, it combines the tradition of exchanging contact information with real-time, cloud-based convenience.

Other exciting initiatives have further encouraged fan and audience engagement. For example, the IOC launched the Olympic Store on Alibaba’s e-commerce platform Tmall. In addition to being a global store for fans looking for official Olympic branded products, it also acts as an information portal to help fans stay up to date with the latest Olympic news and information. A place where retail and commerce converge to further delight sports fans, leading the Games into a new era of fan engagement.

Unlocking the full potential of athletes

Other beneficiaries of cloud technology – and many would say the most important – were the athletes themselves, through a technology called 3D Athlete Tracking (3DAT).

In collaboration with Intel, 3DAT provides audiences with professional insights into the performance of athletes. Without the need for motion tracking sensors, 3DAT leverages standard video, artificial intelligence and computer vision to extract over 20 points on the athlete’s body in 3D, transforming this data into rich visualizations to enhance the storytelling of broadcasters for important events.

Looking ahead for even more exciting sports experiences

We are delighted to take our sponsorship role to a new level that goes beyond the traditional commercial package during our first Summer Olympics. As a worldwide exclusive partner for cloud services, we are honored to provide a new cloud-based foundation for how Games are published and operated in many ways. Similarly, we believe the cloud will play an important role in reshaping the experience of how major sporting events are broadcast, organized and shared with fans in the future. We are proud of the role we played in helping Tokyo 2020 reshape the sports and broadcast industry in an unprecedented way. And we don’t stop there; Tokyo 2020 was just the beginning of the digitalization journey of the Olympic Games.

This content is produced by Alibaba Cloud. It was not written by the editorial staff of MIT Technology Review.