The Tokyo 2021 Olympics are a golden opportunity for Japan. The idea is to broaden the country’s progress in future technologies. As at Roland Garros in 2019 where there was talk of testing an 8K transmission with 5G, now in Japan, it goes much further …
Holographic technology
Kiraki is one of the projects of the giant NTT, a Japanese telecommunications group. It is an augmented reality system that allows athletes to “Teleportarsi” in another remote environment. Concretely, you can experience the Olympics in another room, which happens perfectly with the limitations imposed by Covid-19.
It takes a huge data rate to transmit a hologram, which is also a 6G transmission for a transmission 50 kilometers from the stadium in a museum. Everything happens live, you can follow a game of ping-pong, badminton or karate. NTT uses several cameras and sensors in the field, all data then passes through the optical fiber. In the museum there are projectors and a lighting system to recreate the 3D environment.
One of the most interesting points of the holographic process used for these retransmissions is that the projected images are modeled in 3D. This means that spectators can watch these performances from any viewing angle around the transparent cube and that they will be able to watch the athletes without 3D glasses or other devices, as everything is visible to the naked eye.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Nz-5E5qEFg
Most holographic projections on stages use images that are visible only from a fixed angle, ideal for venues where all spectators are seated in one part of the hall and all have the same point of view. Now, with the process used by NTT, broadcasts will flow smoothly in the center of the rooms, with viewers all around, like in a stadium, dojo or other gym.
A 50 meter 12K screen
NTT has also partnered with Intel to create a 50m long, 12K definition screen. This screen is used to broadcast sailing regattas for spectators who are on the quay. The images are captured by the drones following the race, but also positioned on the boats. So special technology is needed to generate 180 degree video in real time by combining segments of 4K video.
Other experiments are underway, including an audio production that allows the applause of the spectators of the stadium to be broadcast.
The future
These tests give us a more precise idea of what awaits us in the coming years: living sporting events live from your living room as in the stadium no longer seems utopia.
