November 15, 2024 / Al-Shaab Daily Online / In one of the recent international matches, the referee awarded a penalty kick after the defender touched the ball with his hand inside the penalty area. But the fans of the team against which the penalty kick was awarded protested the decision, claiming that the path of the ball had not changed. When watching the shot through a high-speed camera, it was not apparent that the defender intentionally touched the ball. This raised questions among observers about the basis on which the referee relied to approve the penalty kick.
In fact, the match referee’s decision was supported by “smart football” technology connected to the Internet. The technical analysis screen showed that the high-tech sensor built into the ball vibrated in waves. Which confirms that the defender’s hand has touched the ball.
Internet-connected “smart football” technology is often used to help video assistant referees (VAR) make decisions. When a dispute occurs over a foul, the smart device built into the football can “report” precise indicators to the VAR referees. Which improves transparency and accuracy in making arbitration decisions.
Data indicate that a large percentage of smart balls used in international competitions are manufactured by Dingchi Sports Products Company in Huai’an, Jiangsu. It is a company specialized in manufacturing liners for footballs, volleyballs, baskets, rugby balls, etc. It was also the first company to take the initiative to manufacture foil-integrated balls since 2022.
“We built a stable suspension system in the center of the ball, with a built-in sensor and an implanted chip,” said Zhu Hongda, Chairman of Dingchi Sports Products Company. “The sensor must be well-mounted to ensure that it can accurately capture data even during high-speed movements.” Zhu Hongda pointed out that installing a chip inside the soccer lining may seem simple, but implementing it accurately is fraught with difficulty. The chip must be installed inside the lining of the ball, without deviating from the center of gravity of the ball. After installing the sensor, the total weight of the soccer ball should not exceed official FIFA standards. The sensor must also be shock-resistant, to withstand strong kicks from players, and maintain its ability to provide accurate information.
These technical complexities took Dingchi Company three years of research and development to create a smart ball that conforms to the standards and is able to provide accurate indicators. According to Zhou Hongda.
Today, the smart ball, connected to the Internet, is widely used in international football matches. Zhou Hongda said that his company has exported many smart balls to international competitions, such as the European Nations Cup and others. During the first nine months of this year, the company exported more than 6 million balls approved for official matches and training.
“The smart football connected to the Internet is like a data collection station. With the sports equipment worn by athletes, it can collect a lot of sports data,” said Bo Zhiqiang, a researcher at the Institute of Automation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The institute has developed an intelligent analysis system for football matches. It can be applied and used in multiple scenarios such as predicting passing probabilities and analyzing player movement data without the ball.
Many national competitions in China, such as the Youth Football Championship in Zhejiang Province, have begun to use the intelligent analysis system for football matches, to help improve players’ performance in a measurable and more scientific way and assist coaches in planning game techniques and tactics.
