Title: NTT Transforms Tour de France 2023 into an Interactive Journey with ChatGPT and IoT
The Tour de France, set to commence its 110th edition in Bilbao this weekend, is poised to captivate viewers and fans worldwide like never before, thanks to the groundbreaking technology brought forth by NTT.
Since 2015, NTT has been the official technology partner of Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), the race organizer. Their collaboration has significantly expanded the race’s reach and audience. With the recent success of the Unchained documentary series on Netflix, NTT has worked closely with ASO to deliver an even more immersive experience for this year’s race.
Since 2021, NTT has utilized their edge computing and Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities to create a digital twin of the race—an innovative concept that provides race organizers with real-time insights into crucial locations, assets, and up-to-the-minute updates on caravan and race arrival times.
Achieving this feat involves fitting IoT sensors beneath the saddles of all 176 riders, which continuously transmit geolocation data, including latitude, longitude, and speed, to race motorcycles or a plane. Subsequently, this data is transmitted via a microwave signal to NTT’s truck-based edge-computing hubs at the end of each stage. These hubs employ a containerized version of NTT’s real-time analytics platform to analyze the data.
In an effort to elevate this technology, NTT aims to leverage millions of data points to create the world’s largest connected stadium, effectively replicating all the facets of the race. This endeavor empowers NTT to deliver real-time alerts and information to both race organizers and broadcasters alike.
Such alerts may include notifying ASO of a crash in the peloton to expedite medical assistance or updating the catch predictor tool for broadcasters to assess the likelihood of catching the day’s breakaway.
Joan Kuhrmann, NTT’s director of program management, expressed their commitment to ongoing innovation, stating, The power of our networking edge computing enables ASO to make these quick decisions. We want to give fans more insight into what’s happening in the race.
NTT’s advancements also extend to Marianne, their AI-driven Digital Human solution. Marianne combines machine learning, speech recognition, natural language processing, and conversational AI to provide fans worldwide, whether online or attending the event, with detailed answers to various race-related inquiries. The integration of ChatGPT in 2023 will take fan engagement to a whole new level, enabling Marianne to offer a truly unique and interactive experience.
Following the men’s event, NTT and ASO will be dedicated to powering the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. For the first time, this women’s race will feature a complete digital platform similar to the men’s race—a significant stride to ensure that fans and broadcasters worldwide can immerse themselves in the Tour de France Femmes as they do with the men’s event.
Kuhrmann emphasized the shared goal of making the women’s race coverage the best in the world, further enhancing the experience for fans and broadcasters alike.
As the Tour de France 2023 rolls on, NTT’s integration of IoT and AI technology promises to revolutionize the sporting experience, allowing fans worldwide to engage with the race in unprecedented ways. With real-time updates, analytics, and AI-driven interactions, this year’s Tour de France is set to redefine the boundaries of spectator engagement.
