Artificial Intelligence will judge gymnastics competitions at the Tokyo Olympics

Bright flashes on a black board give the gymnast a signal to begin. She makes a vault, lands and turns to the robot judge. Score immediately appears on the big screen in front of visitors to the Olympic Games and millions of viewers who watch the performance in real time.

This is not an excerpt from a science fiction film, but a very real depiction of the future of gymnastics, where artificial intelligence will act as a judge.
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The International Gymnastics Federation plans to use artificial intelligence to evaluate athletes as early as 2020 at the Tokyo Olympics. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) supports this idea.

The Japanese IT giant, Fujitsu, is developing a 3D sensor system. Developers report that engaging AI will speed up the assessment process , help coaches and gymnasts prepare for competitions. The system will also be able to provide exclusive broadcast.



Fujitsu has fully taken on the financial issue. At the moment, developers are analyzing and collecting information on athlete support jumps to finalize the software. What is their purpose? The International Gymnastics Federation intends to attract AI to prevent delays in assessments, to guarantee the recording of each movement, as well as to avoid controversial judicial decisions.

Former President of the International Gymnastics Federation, Bruno Grandi, shared his opinion: “The judge should work eight hours a day. Will he have the strength to judge soberly until the end of the working day? Only a computer can do it. ”

Of course, there are pitfalls: despite the many years of development of this technology, a quick switch to a platform that has not yet been fully studied may cause controversy. Hackers will be able to falsify the results, the judges will lose credibility, and the gymnasts will lose the right to creative tricks.

Olympic champion Nadia Comenech, in one of the latest interviews for The Guardian, commented on the possible innovation: “The gymnasts are constantly improving their skills, coming up with new tricks, turns, points. So what happens if the robot programmed for a separate type of jump has to judge an absolutely new athlete technique? How will the assessment take place? ”

As the organizer of the Olympic Games, Japan plans to demonstrate the latest developments in the field of innovative economy . In Tokyo, preparing a robotic town , unmanned taxis and artificial meteor shower . The 2020 Olympic Games claim to be the most technologically advanced in history. The International Gymnastics Federation does not want to miss this chance.

In the test mode, artificial intelligence will be brought to the judging of the World Cup in Doha, Qatar (will be held next year). The president of the International Gymnastics Federation, Morinari Watanabe, commented on the situation: “We must be prepared by 2020. Our duties include the correct assessment of gymnasts without any shortcomings. When athletes see how technology works, they will understand its benefits. ”

Finally, a Fujitsu video about the system being developed: