NTT DATA to Demonstrate Video AI at The 148th Open in Northern Ireland

Will verify use of artificial intelligence to tag TV broadcasts automatically for enhanced spectator enjoyment

TOKYO and NORTHERN IRELAND – July 17, 2019 – NTT DATA, a leading IT services provider and an Official Patron of The Open, one of the world’s greatest golfing championships, announced today that it will demonstrate the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology to tag TV broadcasts extensively and automatically during The 148th Open at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland from July 18 to 21. NTT DATA will also operate the NTT DATA Wall, a giant digital screen at the tournament, and offer select spectators use of tablet devices onsite for highly personalized enjoyment of the action in incredible detail during The Championship.

NTT DATA will use its AI technology to extract relevant information, such as player names and hole numbers, from live TV broadcasts based on data learned beforehand and screen text captured with optical character recognition (OCR). Also, facial-expression and body-posture data will be used to analyze players’ swings, types of shots and can’t-miss highlights. The extracted data will then be tagged automatically to the broadcast video to enable viewers to quickly find scenes arranged into various categories (by players, holes, highlights, etc.) so they can select and replay a diverse range of scenes as desired.

Atsuko Koiwai, head of NTT DATA’s Public Relations Department, said: “NTT DATA, an Official Patron of The Open since 2013, continues to enhance spectator experiences as a Trusted Global Innovator. Our combination of the NTT DATA Wall and video AI technology at this year’s Open will provide fans with rich and intuitive viewing experiences.”

The volume of video data being used worldwide continues to increase dramatically every year and video data now plays a central role in the transmission of information. “NTT DATA Technology Foresight,” a summary of trends and forecasts regarding future technology, envisions companies increasingly tailoring their businesses to the demands of individuals.

In the coming era of massive video usage, however, there is a possibility that current processes for video production, final viewing, etc. will not be able to cope adequately with the needs and preferences of all viewers. In response, NTT DATA is researching how to use AI for practical solutions and thereby expand the possibilities for video data usage, including tagging TV broadcasts automatically to enable viewers to easily find content amid the massive amount of available video data.

Going forward, NTT DATA will continue to leverage video AI technology to support further digital transformation in society. Through initiatives targeting various industries that use video heavily, including the media and sports industries, NTT DATA expects to achieve video AI-related sales of 3 billion JPY (about 27.8 million USD) within three years.

Demonstrations Planned during The 148th Open

The Open Playback

Viewers will use a web application to enjoy watching continuously refreshed highlights, which will be arranged into various categories (by players, holes, highlights, etc.) and will be viewable on tablet devices furnished to selected spectators onsite.

Highlights Generated with AI

AI will extract daily highlights from TV broadcasts for replay on the NTT DATA Wall at The Open venue, enabling spectators to catch the most memorable highlights of The Championship.

Analysis to Spectator Reactions to Shots

AI will be used to analyze the reactions of spectators (processed anonymously) as they watch live TV broadcasts displayed on the NTT DATA Wall. The analysis will be performed with a facial-expression-analysis engine developed by Affectiva. Based on this analysis, the most exciting moments will be ranked on the NTT DATA Wall and constantly updated throughout each day of tournament play.

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