2021 Olympics: Technology in Tokyo

The highly anticipated (and delayed) Olympic Games have officially started and are set to start on August 8th live from Tokyo, Japan. They include revamped branding that not only nods to the change in date but also incorporates something that Japan as a country has always excelled in: tech.

Even those who might consider themselves somewhat adverse to tech have had to embrace it this past year, which is something of an achievement. Globally, technology has allowed people to stay connected, stay employed and has pushed people outside of their comfort zones.

Here’s some of the cool tech to come out of the Tokyo 2021 Olympics.

Instant Translation

The Olympics bring people together from nations all across the globe, so language barriers are something that can present a huge problem. This is why Japan committed to creating state of the art instant translators to help people communicate with ease. By downloading a simple app, visitors can simply speak into their phone or other compatible device in their native tongue and it’ll automatically speak back in the language the user preselects.

Autonomous Vehicles

Self-driving vehicles are not exactly new, but to see such a large fleet up and running is impressive. Japan announced that 100 self-driving vehicles will be made available during the Olympics to help transport people to and from the Olympic Village. Not only is it social-distance friendly, but it’s a system that Japan hopes to make part of their ongoing public transportation system in the near future.

Facial Recognition

Facial recognition tech is great for security, and allows officials to trace and monitor any hotspots where potential covid-19 outbreaks might happen. Then, they can act fast and advise people to self-isolate if necessary and make sure that they do, creating a safer and more secure event.

A Helping Hand – From Real Life Robots

For anyone who’s looking a little lost and needs directions, or even just a helping hand with luggage, robot attendants will be on standby to help visitors to the games. They’re AI-powered representatives of Tokyo for the Olympics. Inside the stadium, some robots are even designed to move things around once the Olympians have finished with them. This is a safer method of doing things as it just about diminishes the risk of injury from sports equipment like javelins. Plus it’s pretty darn cool.

Immersive Experiences

Immersive video is beginning to pop up everywhere, and can now provide an unparalleled viewing experience for spectators as though they’re right there in the middle of the Olympic games. It’s perfect for those who have to self-isolate.

People who are lucky enough to have capitalized on the recent 8K TV launches will also get to see the Olympics in a resolution that’s never before been possible in the comfort of their own home thanks to the number of pixels being quadrupled versus 4k.

This high res broadcast is the first of its kind on such a large scale, and will likely set the precedent for sporting events in the future.