Almost everything in the world has been impacted by technology and the innovations that it has brought with it, including the Olympic Games.
Despite being one of the oldest sporting events to have ever existed, the Summer Games has greatly benefited in a various number of ways due to the introduction and continued use of the latest technology that is available.
In fact, it could be argued that the event is more accessible than ever, whilst it has also improved the quality of the sports and events that are competed in. Here are just some ways in which technology has managed to change the Olympic Games forever.
More Accessible
With the rise of technology, the Olympic Games has never been as accessible as it is today, with some of the newest innovations to have been created being experienced at the current Tokyo edition of the spectacle.
One way in which technology has changed the accessibility feature is that developers have been able to create applications that can be downloaded that can feature the Olympics in a particular way on devices such as smartphones and tablets. These devices are almost glued to a person’s hand in the present age, which means they can look to get involved with the sporting show at the touch or swipe of a screen and button.
Whether it be an individual who is looking to get the latest results of a particular event that has taken place or the fact that important bookmakers such as Unibet Indiana are now able to get real-time betting odds that they can provide their consumers, there is no doubt that technology has made the Olympic Games as accessible as ever.
A further way in which user experience accessibility has been improved is via the introduction of virtual reality, with the 2016 Rio Games having provided some viewers with the opportunity to feel as though they were at the events via the use of VR headsets and the use of their dedicated apps. Although this is a feature that is not widely available, it would be a surprise if it were not to become a rather standard feature in the future.
Sports have been improved by innovative technology
Whilst viewers and fans will have been able to get more and more from the event via the use of the technology that is now available, the Olympians that compete have also been able to benefit greatly due to the advancements that have been made.
Many who follow sports will know that there are already a number of professional sports that are played throughout the world that require certain pieces of tech; football is a great example as they have recently implemented goal-line tech and VAR which requires camera technology. Cricket, Tennis, American Football and Rugby are other sports that have a need for innovative features, as well.
Many of those sports are a discipline that is competed in at the Olympics, which means the technology has been used to try and further increase the quality of the event and help make it more appealing to fans as the standard of play gets better. For instance, tennis is one that will have benefitted from the introduction of the Hawk-Eye, as it will allow for the correct calls to be made.
Swimming is one of the main disciplines and the introduction of underwater cameras can help to improve the overall experience for everyone involved. Viewers will be able to watch all of the action, whilst the athletes involved can look at their performance and see the form that they had whilst in the water.
Sports have changed
There is no denying that sports that are competed at during the four-yearly event have changed, although many would argue that the technology that is being used has helped to change them for the better, rather than making them worse.
For instance, archery is one of the disciplines that has been a mainstay in the Games since it was introduced in the second edition of the modern Olympics and has rarely undergone changes in the past. Of course, the way the sport is played would suggest that technology is not really required.
However, the introduction of sensors has meant that scoring can be a lot more accurate compared to what a human referee may be able to see with the naked eye, therefore meaning the quality of the game has been improved in an instant.
