As sailing broadcasts evolve, viewers of the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup will be able to see real-time wind changes along the race course, while a yacht simulator will take the wind data and calculate the optimal route around the course.
A feat of engineering and design, WindSight IQ™ gives commentators and viewers more data and insight into international sailing's premier event than the teams competing on the water.
With 77% of Gen Z and 75% of millennials preferring to watch sports away from live venues, the on-screen viewing experience is more important than ever. With wind patterns being a key factor in competition, new WindSight IQ™ technology aims to bring a whole new dimension to the racing experience for fans and broadcasters.
“WindSight IQ™ is an innovation that America's Cup media has long recognised. Our goal is to use technology to deepen the understanding of sailing and make a quantum leap forward in the complexities that sailors must overcome to reach the pinnacle of our sport,” explained America's Cup Events CEO Grant Dalton.
“But to achieve our objectives, we needed to find a partner equally willing to push the boundaries of technology and innovation – and Capgemini was right there. So for the 37th America's Cup by Louis Vuitton, WindSight IQ™ marks a major advancement for the consumption of our sport.”
“Before and during the race, commentators will be able to see real-time wind patterns and explain to viewers the options of the competing yachts. Being able to see the invisible wind and compare the teams' actual performance and tactical decisions against the optimal route means viewers will be able to follow and participate in the race on a whole new level.”
Due to technical challenges, no one has ever been able to accurately visualize wind in real-time yacht racing conditions until now. Capgemini and America's Cup Media, the event's host broadcaster, are combining their technology, engineering, data and design expertise to use LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), sensor fusion and scientific computation to reveal the wind with augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) graphics.
Wind field data is fed into the yacht simulator in real time and used to create a live “ghost boat” simulation that can be projected onto the race course via AR and VR graphics, showing the optimal path for the crew to take based on measured wind pressure, shear, direction and speed changes.
To accurately collect raw wind data, three LiDARs are installed along Barcelona's waterfront above the race course, scanning the entire race area. Each LiDAR has an average scanning range of 6.5 km, with a maximum of 12 km, measuring wind speeds of up to 38 m/s (73 knots) every 1.5 meters from 0 km to 12 km, with an accuracy of less than 0.1 m/s.
WindSight IQ™ complements LiDAR with wind speed data obtained directly from wind sensors on the racing yachts and buoys. All these data streams are combined using innovative algorithms to create a wind speed field over the entire race course. The wind speed field is updated every second based on sensor measurements and predictive wind models.
“Through an innovation that combines laser sensor technology, advanced engineering and new visualization techniques, WindSight IQ™ connects the digital and physical worlds,” explains Keith Williams, chief engineer, WindSight IQ™ at Capgemini.
“The core challenge of this innovation lies in combining both engineering and design – precisely capturing the complex patterns of wind and portraying them in a way that is easy for fans and commentators to see and understand.”
How to watch:
On all competition days, racing will start at 14:00 CET (08:00 ET) and last until 16:30 or 17:00 depending on the schedule. Depending on your region, the race may be available to watch on the event website, YouTube and/or Facebook. The race will be broadcast in over 200 territories around the world. Click here to see available broadcast options.
For live viewing opportunities, click here.
For more information about the contest, click here.
Following the publication of the AC37 Protocol and AC75 Class Rules on 17 November 2021, the AC75 Class Rules and AC Technical Regulations have been finalised for 17 March 2022. The entry period was from 1 December 2021 to 31 July 2022, but late entries for the 37th America's Cup will be accepted until 31 May 2023. Defender had planned to announce the match venue on 17 September 2021, but postponed the announcement, which was finally finalised for 30 March 2022 in Barcelona. The 37th America's Cup will kick off on 12 October 2024.
The squad that will challenge the defending Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL) has been announced:
• Ineos Britannia (GBR)
• Alinghi Red Bull Racing (SUI)
• Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team (ITA)
• NYYC American Magic (USA)
• Orient Express Racing Team (France)
2023-24 Qualifying Regatta
14-17 September 2023 (AC40): Vilanova i la Geltru, Spain
November 30th – December 2nd (AC40): Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
22-25 August 2024 (AC75): Barcelona, Spain
2024 Challenger Selection Series
August 29th – September 8th: Double round robin
September 14th – 19th: Semi-finals (Top 9)
September 26th – October 7th: Finals (Top 13)
2024 America's Cup
October 12-21: Match 37 (Round 13)
For more information about the contest, click here.
Additionally, 12 teams will compete in the 2024 Youth and Women's America's Cup.
Message board: https://ac37noticeboard.acofficials.org/
Event details: www.americascup.com/en/home
Source: ACE