THE NEW FACE OF STADIUM TECHNOLOGY George Vaughan - CEO, The Digital Line
re we entering an era of truly
– with everything from Digital Twins to
has been marked by significant advancements
frictionless access and movement
Smart Venue Security emerging in this rapidly
in AI and machine learning. Initially focused
when visitors attending sports
maturing space – bodes well for the future.
on basic identification through static images,
and entertainment events will
In less than a decade we have already seen
modern systems now incorporate dynamic
only need to show their faces at a venue, not
significant changes and in the next two years
aspects like facial expressions and emotions.
only to achieve entry but also to purchase
alone, we could witness a transformation that
This progress has enhanced the accuracy and
and transact? We take a look under the hood
leaves the current landscape unrecognisable.
reliability of facial recognition, enabling its
of this emerging tech to assess if the next
One technology many might argue to be quite
application in diverse contexts—from security
great frontier for stadiums will be all about
contentious because it remains somewhat
checkpoints at airports to personalized
redefining entry through identity.
misunderstood but that is nevertheless gaining
marketing in retail.
ground in this area is facial recognition,
However, despite its benefits, the technology
One of the biggest operational challenges for
particularly in stadiums in the US. Very
also continues to raise important ethical
any venue is people management and equally,
quickly, it is becoming a pivotal innovation
considerations regarding privacy and
one of the most disappointing experiences
in the realm of artificial intelligence and
data protection, necessitating responsible
for any fan or visitor is endless queuing, both
biometrics, changing how we identify
implementation and robust regulatory
when entering a stadium and then when trying
individuals and helping to manage their
frameworks. It’s a fine balance that many
to purchase from concessions stands once
movements and fine tune the services they
companies, especially in Europe and the UK
inside. Numerous solutions have been tried
are offered as guests. In general terms, the
where the conditions of use are much more
and tested and whilst efficiencies have helped
technology works by capturing digital images
stringent than the US, continue to wrestle with
manage customer flow and sales at the retail
or video frames of human faces and then using
in an effort to get it right.
stands, there is still much more that can be
advanced algorithms to analyse key facial
done to improve the overall experience.
features. By comparing these features against
Revolutionising Stadium Experiences:
There’s no doubt that Amazon’s Just Walk
a database of known faces, facial recognition
Wicket’s Facial Recognition Technology
Out technology (along with derivatives
systems can accurately identify individuals,
In this rapidly evolving landscape of sports
of the solution) is helping to reconfigure
making them invaluable in various sectors
and entertainment, one company that grabbed
the hospitality sector and the incredible
such as security, healthcare, and retail
my attention is Wicket, a company that has
acceleration AI is bringing to the marketplace
The evolution of facial recognition technology
quickly moved to the forefront of innovation
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