Dorna captivates MotoGP audience with Vizrt virtual and augmented reality

Viz Arena employs camera tracking and unparalleled, robust image-based image processing to deliver added value to broadcasting.

Racing fans Moto GP In the last season they have enjoyed the excitement of motorsport with the best drivers in the world like never before thanks to the augmented and virtual reality developed based on the Vizrt technology that uses Dorna.

The software Viz Arena by Vizrt improves sports coverage during live broadcasts with virtual and augmented reality graphics added on the stands of a stadium, under the riders' motorcycles or on the track of the circuit.

Dorna, the exclusive owner of the commercial and television rights to MotoGP and other leading motorcycle racing championships, began experimenting with Viz Arena at the end of the 2019 season. Despite rollout plans being delayed by the pandemic, MotoGP returned to screens in July with the Viz Arena being used from the start in the live broadcast.

Sergi Sendra, senior technical and production director at Dorna, highlights that "our fans crave real-time data during races that helps tell the story that unfolds on the circuit. It is as important as the race itself. Viz Arena helps us convey it in a visually compelling way that brings even more excitement to our audience."

For its part, Jonathan Roberts, global director of Vizrt Sports, comments that "virtual graphics improvements can be applied through Viz Arena to any sporting event. The calibration process and graphic workflow is very simple without requiring complex training for operators."

Viz Arena employs camera track and a prosecution unparalleled and robust image-based image technology to deliver added value to broadcasting. This technology allows real-time camera tracking, based only on the video feed, and makes it possible to apply virtual graphics from the studio.

Without the need for mechanical heads for tracking, Viz Arena offers surprising results, saving costs and resources but, more importantly, it allows us to reduce the footprint in the sports venue. On the other hand, the value of deploying solutions under software and IP is allowing during the pandemic to produce content remotely without the need to move people or equipment on site.

Flood of data in real time

Gerhard Lang, CTO of Vizrt, recognizes that "Dorna is a very special production company. Not only the number of cameras they have active during the race, but also the amount of data they need to process and that is used to tell the story to their viewers, is quite amazing. Each bike is equipped with a box that collects the telemetric data, in addition to the rider's sensory data."

The data is fed in real time from the motorcycles to the control and broadcast center. The Vizrt system captures information from the bike and then displays graphs such as position and speed. It can also calculate different quantities such as braking times on specific curves, maximum speeds, lean angle, gear selection and other data in real time. The Vizrt system can then overlay graphics that can be reassigned where necessary. The automatic placement of the graphics in relation to the bike is what makes this system much more versatile.

Victor Segui, director of orograms at Dorna, points out that “the data we receive from the motorcycles is reproduced in real time, and combined with motion tracking, we can move the graphics in real time with the motorcycle.”

Manel Arroyo, general director of Dorna, emphasizes that "the challenge of our production is to be at the same level as our pilots, our athletes. We are also committed to our public, just to understand what they expect from us, what they expect from the sport, what they like to see, what they like to hear, the data they want to follow, the information they want to receive, and all this is possible thanks to these tools with which we currently work in our three compounds."

https://vimeo.com/429910317