The Tour de France, one of the most prestigious bicycle races in the world, is set to receive a significant technological upgrade this year. NTT, the IT and services company, has been the Tour de France’s partner for the past nine years and is taking the viewing experience to the next level by leveraging the latest tech, including IoT, edge computing, and generative AI.
NTT is creating “the world’s largest connected stadium” by setting up a digital twin of the race. This digital twin will use real-time data to digitally replicate all aspects of the race, making the Tour de France an entirely digitized event. The purpose of this digital twin is to provide the event’s organizer, the Amaury Sports Organization, with a better understanding of what is happening during the race, ensuring smooth operations.
To gather data on the bikes, NTT will be using geolocation and tiny sensors mounted underneath the saddle of each bike. These sensors will provide a constant stream of latitude, longitude, speed, and other data, which will be transmitted over radio networks to race vehicles. From there, a microwave signal will carry the data to the end of the race, where an edge-computing device will run a real-time analytics platform.
In addition to the digital twin and IoT technology, NTT is incorporating ChatGPT into its AI-driven Digital Human solution. This integration, called Marianne, will utilize machine learning, speech recognition, natural language processing, and conversational AI to provide fans with detailed and relevant race information.
These advancements will not only be applied to the Tour de France but also to the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, the women’s counterpart race that was inaugurated last year. This ensures that both races benefit from the latest technological innovations.
The incorporation of IoT, edge computing, and generative AI into the Tour de France will undoubtedly enhance the viewing experience for millions of fans worldwide. The digital twin will provide a comprehensive and real-time understanding of the race, while ChatGPT will deliver detailed and relevant information to fans. This technological upgrade signifies a significant step forward for the Tour de France and showcases the potential of AI in the world of sports.
