Sony Group (TYO:6758) has upgraded its advanced soccer officiating technology in time for this week's FIFA World Cup opening, shortening the time required for play reviews, Nikkei Asia reported Friday.
The updated Hawk-Eye system, developed by Sony-owned Hawk-Eye Innovations, uses artificial intelligence that automatically determines if a ball has traveled out of bounds, the report said.
The changes aim to remove the minutes-long delays seen in previous tournaments, according to the report.
The technology will also track offside violations faster by notifying on-field referees, the report said.
Meanwhile, FIFA technology partner Lenovo Group (HKG:0992) will launch 3D player avatars to recreate offside decisions and provide participating countries with the FIFA AI Pro tool for tactical analysis, the report said.
(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)