Game-changing insights using 5G technologies

Waterloo and Rogers partnership could redefine real-time hockey analytics By Jordan Flemming University Relations In a unique collaboration, the University of Waterloo and Rogers Communications are joining forces to revolutionize the world of hockey analytics using 5G technology. This partnership could help reshape how hockey fans engage with the game and provide teams with valuable insights for data-driven decision making. This research partnership emerged from a 2020 hockey hackathon  that was organized by Velocity, where Waterloo students had the opportunity to access proprietary NHL data sets and were tasked with generating ideas and offer new solutions that Rogers owned Sportsnet could incorporate into their viewing experiences. The data was collected from infrared-emitting devices embedded in hockey puck and player uniforms and relayed to a state-of-the-art infrared cameras system installed in all 32 NHL arenas, including Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta. Thanks to the low latency and high bandwidth of 5G technology, gameplay analytics can then be transmitted in real-time to viewers smartphones or to sports broadcasters. The hackathon caught the attention of David Radke, a computer science PhD candidate and assistant captain and defenceman on Waterloo's varsity men's hockey team. Radke's research is focused on artificial intelligence and multiagent systems - a computerized system composed of multiple interacting intelligent agents.