STAINES, ENGLAND— Shotoku Broadcast Systems introduced augmented reality to BBC Sport for its live broadcasts of the Wimbledon 2013 tennis championships.
According to the company, Shotoku provided BBC Sport with two TP-90VR and SX300VR Tracking Pedestal and Head systems for its temporary OB studio during its live outdoor coverage of the Lawn Tennis Championships.
AR was introduced on the first day of the tournament, and the level of use and complexity of the graphics adapted as the tournament progressed, right up to the final day. In the UK alone, more than 17m viewers watched the men’s final broadcast.
Shotoku’s VR tracking technology made transferring the systems into the temporary OB studio possible. Using accurate internal encoders to monitor all moving axes and combine with simple in-studio referencing technology, Shotoku also reduced the time required for installation and calibration.
The SX-300VR virtual tracking EFP head features precise tracking. Based on the SX300 EFP head, the ergonomic design provides a reliable platform for a range of camera and lens configurations. The SX-300VR provides high-accuracy, real-time data output with no loss in manual performance. The unit combines with the Serial Position Interface for frame-synchronized high-resolution data tracking, compatible with VR graphics systems. The head may be simply mounted on a tripod, or for real-time full 3D tracking, one of Shotoku’s VR pedestals such as the lightweight, 3-stage TP-90VR, used in this application. The SX-300VR and TP-90VR proved to be robust, flexible and reliable in an OB studio application.
