The English Premier League will replace its current video assistance referee (VAR) system with a new device that uses dozens of iPhones to capture high-frequency video from multiple angles, an innovation that could revolutionize offside detection, one of football’s most controversial rules.
A system called “Dragon” developed by Genius Sports
It is the American company Genius Sports, already known for its technological innovations in NBA basketball, which is behind this project called “Dragon”. The principle: use at least 28 iPhone 14 (and more recent) as well as their ultra-high-performance cameras to capture the slightest movement of the players on the pitch.
The smartphones, housed in waterproof cases and cooled by fans, will be installed in holders that can hold up to four devices. They will film continuously and communicate with each other thanks to specially developed artificial intelligence.
Where current VAR systems only track around thirty points on each player, Dragon will be able to track between 7,000 and 10,000 at all times! Enough to recreate a true virtual replica of the action in real time.
Up to 200 frames per second for unmatched precision
The major advantage of iPhones is their ability to film up to 200 images per second, compared to only 50 or 60 for traditional broadcast cameras. This is a considerable gain that reduces blind spots and captures with extreme precision the crucial moment when the ball is played by the passer.
This is often where the most contentious offsides are played out. With such a frame rate, Dragon will be able to determine whether the attacker was in an illegal position at the time of the pass, without leaving room for doubt.
The system will even be able to automatically detect potential offside situations and occasionally increase the number of frames per second of certain cameras, before returning to normal to save computing power.
Technology validated by FIFA that could be extended to other sports
After several years of testing, including comparisons with ultra-sophisticated motion capture systems, Dragon has been given the green light by FIFA. It will be deployed during the next season in the Premier League. The referees will obviously have the final say, but will finally have a reliable and accurate decision-making tool. Enough to ease the recurring tensions surrounding offsides.
Beyond football, Genius Sports hopes to extend this technology to other sports such as basketball or American football. The possibilities are immense, from refereeing to creating “digital twins” of players to enrich TV broadcasts or power virtual reality experiences.
Sure, replacing dedicated cameras with “simple” iPhones may come as a surprise. But the power and versatility of smartphones continue to grow. Coupled with AI, they could well become the new essential tools for tomorrow’s sport. A small revolution is underway!