Science and Technology Daily reporter Zhang Jiaxin
In the early morning of June 27, Beijing time, all the group stage matches of the European Cup ended, and the top 16 were all produced.
Many fans have the impression that international football tournaments often bring innovation, whether it is the style of play, the tactical approach, or the "yellow whirlwind" brought by the blond-haired Romanian team at the 1998 World Cup. In recent years, fans have enjoyed the "freshness" brought by another "technology fan", such as intelligent technology that can help referees make more accurate judgments.
This summer, Germany continued this trend. On the green field of Euro 2024, it is not only football and passion that collide, but also the perfect integration of sports and technology: from VAR to semi-automatic offside technology, from the "Eagle Eye" system to the "connecting ball" technology...... The introduction of these high-tech elements makes the game more fair and equitable.
VAR helps referees make precise decisions
VAR technology uses cameras, sensors, and artificial intelligence to help referees make decisions.
Image source: Nature website
The website Nature recently reported that the "all-seeing eye" of artificial intelligence (AI) will follow the game more closely than the eyes of the most avid fans. Now, the upgraded semi-automatic version of the Video Assisted Referee (VAR) incorporates more advanced AI technology with a real-time tracking chip embedded in the soccer ball.
View of the interior of the UEFA VAR room.
Image source: UEFA federation official website
According to the Daily Mail, VAR refers to the use of cameras, sensors and AI to help referees make more accurate decisions. For the European Championships, VAR is handled by the team at the Technical Center in Leipzig.
The VAR team will be constantly checking for four issues related to 'game changer' – goals, incidents in the box, red cards and penalties. Once a problem is identified, they can recommend that the referee cancel or change the decision, but the final decision remains with the referee. Information about the review process is published in concise text and projected onto a large screen in the field, rather than being conveyed verbally.
SAOT effectively reduces penalty time
Semi-automatic offside technology (SAOT) is paired with VAR and is another powerful "assistant" for the referee on the field. It's also a clever AI system that helps referees make the right decisions quickly. The technology tracks a player's limbs to detect if they are in an offside position and sends alerts to the VAR team.
So, how can SAOT better help VAR "monitor" a football game? This is possible thanks to 10 dedicated cameras on the rooftops of all stadiums for the European Championship, which are able to track 29 individual points on each of the 22 players from head to toe. After the game, the whole stadium amounted to more than 600 points in motion. This data will be entered into the computer at a rate of 50 times per second.
Cameras can monitor the position and speed of the ball and players in real time, and even the speed at which the player's body parts are moving, can determine if any part of the player is offside within half a second, and then send an alert to the VAR team, where the VAR operator can verify and confirm the information and notify the referee. This will significantly reduce the time it takes for VAR to make a decision.
"Eagle Eye" technology solves goal-line disputes
Remember the "goal-line injustice" at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa? England footballer Frank Lampard bounced off the crossbar with a brilliant lob shot half-metre inside the goal line before the devil bounced back into the net, but it was not counted due to a mistake by the referee. If there had been "goal-line technology" at that time, England fans at that time would not have returned with regrets.
At the European Championship, the "Hawk-Eye" technology called "Hawk-Eye" can immediately determine whether the ball has crossed the goal line in its entirety, which is very helpful for referees to make accurate decisions. Fourteen cameras are installed on the roof of each pitch that "aims" at each goal, working together to provide the precise location of the ball. If the ball is deemed to have crossed the goal line, an electronic message is sent to a watch-like receiver worn by the referee to let them know that the goal is valid.
"Connecting Balls" Puts an End to the "Hand of God"
The official match ball of this European Cup, "Football Love", has an induction chip in its center.
Image source: adidas official website
In this event, the "microchip football" with "black technology" was also used in football. The official match ball provided by adidas for this European Championship is called "Fussballliebe", which means "football love" in German. For the first time, the ball brings 'connected ball' technology to the European Championships, sending precise football data to the referee in real time.
This soccer ball has a built-in sensor chip with "Connect Ball" technology. The chip is capable of monitoring external contact with the sphere at a frequency of 500 times per second. When the ball is impacted by a player's foot or hand, the internal chip can determine the exact time and point of contact, which is crucial for the referee to decide some controversial goal or "hand of God". At the same time, the sensor chip can also quickly upload player position data, providing strong support for SAOT.
The "Connect the Ball" technology works in tandem with SAOT technology to ensure that the referee can accurately determine the position of the ball and players when it matters most.
In addition, the sensor chip is powered by a rechargeable battery that is charged inductively, similar to the wireless charging technology used in smartphones. The FussBallliebe also features a polyurethane skin with "micro and macro textures" and consists of 20 spherical modules to enhance its aerodynamics.