Google Cloud builds AI video tool for US Ski & Snowboard athletes ahead of Olympics
New platform maps motion from 2D video to provide real-time feedback on tricks and technique
Google Cloud has developed an artificial intelligence-powered video analysis platform to help U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes fine-tune their performance in the lead-up to the Olympic Winter Games.
The platform uses spatial intelligence research from Google DeepMind to track and map athlete motion from standard two-dimensional video, even when subjects are wearing bulky winter gear. The tool processes footage in minutes, runs on Google Cloud infrastructure and can be accessed via smartphones, the company said in a statement.
Coaches and athletes can use Gemini, Google’s generative AI assistant, to explore performance data and receive real-time, data-backed insights. “Instead of just going off gut feeling, which has worked great in the past, you can see the data and go a little bigger,” said Hall, who won Olympic gold at Beijing 2022.
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Former Olympian Shaun White called the tool a breakthrough for athletes and coaches. “It lets you take a run from the past and bring it into the future,” he said. “You can slow it down and see exactly where your head and body are positioned in that moment. It's about being able to see those little things and understand them in real time.”
Google said the underlying technology has potential applications beyond winter sports, including in amateur golf, physical therapy and industrial robotics.
The Recap
- Google Cloud built an AI video analysis platform for Team USA.
- The platform maps motion from 2D video on smartphones.
- The platform aids athletes ahead of the Olympic Winter Games.
