As the official IT provider for golf’s original Championship,
NTT DATA will unveil its advanced Digital Twin technology, AI
innovations, a Private 5G network and its ShotView activation, for
a revolutionary golf experience
NTT DATA, a global digital business and IT services leader,
announced today it will be transforming the fan experience at The
152nd Open being played from 14th to 21st July at Royal Troon. As
the official IT provider for one of the most prestigious golf
Championships, NTT DATA has been pushing the boundaries of the fan
experience for over a decade. This year, NTT DATA introduces
advanced innovations designed to deliver engagement and immersion
for fans, wherever they are.
Fans will benefit from real-time data and intelligence as well
as state-of-the-art live video and data displays on the iconic NTT
DATA Wall. Fans will also get to experience GenAI-powered Digital
Human technology, and engage with ShotView, a digital twin
technology platform. These advancements are underpinned by a
transformative Private 5G network, ensuring these complex
technologies are connected with the fastest, most resilient and
secure network available, with cloud technologies taken to the
edge.
The NTT DATA Wall
Onsite, the NTT DATA Wall redefines fan interactions with The
Open, using cutting-edge Hollywood-grade CGI. Data insights and
ball-tracking statistics will now be rendered, in real-time,
alongside engaging, clear visualisations. This hyper-realistic
rendering will be provided with real-world lighting, shadows, and
textures (even down to blades of grass) taking the digital twin to
the next level. The 2024 edition of the 20-meter-wide LED screen in
the spectator village will draw fans to the action like never
before.
AI-powered Digital Human, Lottie
Returning this year is NTT DATA’s AI-powered Digital Human,
Lottie. Lottie is the future of spectator sport and customer
service, delivering interaction and engagement through a blend of
on-the-spot, real-time insights and updates from the golf course,
statistical data and deep knowledge of the rules and history of the
sport. It delivers a dynamic experience that both educates and
entertains through a unified conversational interface powered by
advanced GenAI. Lottie's visual representation has been improved,
ensuring more human-like movements and a physically accurate
avatar, enhancing the realism of interactions. These technologies
underline the new multi-modal approach to GenAI technology and use
the latest advances from NTT DATA.
5G-Powered Experience
Underpinning all of this onsite technology is a new Private 5G
network, which has been introduced to The Open for the first time
by NTT DATA and its strategic partner. This marks a significant
technological advancement in network infrastructure at the event.
It will deliver high bandwidth and reliability, bringing cloud to
the edge, for applications requiring super low latency compute,
storage, and networking.
ShotView and Spectator Immersion
With over 32,000 individual golf shots taken during the four-day
Championship, NTT DATA’s ShotView activation, powered by digital
twin technology, analyses vast amounts of data. It tracks ball lie,
player performance and course conditions, along with delivering
accurate representations of the Royal Troon golf course. The
digital twin technology can record ball position to as little as
half a golf ball’s width. All this delivers a “player’s
perspective” of strategies and decisions made during each stage of
the Championship, enabling fans, commentators and analysts to see
through the eyes of the professionals.
Launched at The 150th Open in 2022, ShotView now offers an
improved user interface and enriched data visualisation tools that
provide live, actionable insights, making professional golf more
accessible and engaging for audiences worldwide.
Bringing Sustainability to The Open
Building on last year's initiatives, sustainability is a key
focus for NTT DATA at The Open. In 2023, the NTT DATA Wall provided
up to the minute sustainability insights, such as use of on-site
water refill stations, plastic saving by reusing water bottles,
travel by public transport, and purchase of low-carbon meals. This
helped fans understand how they can reduce their personal
environmental impact and support The R&A in staging a more
sustainable Championship. A collaborative research project between
The R&A, NTT DATA and Cardiff University, titled "Sports Events
as Agents of Behaviour Change" found that 80% of fans agreed they
would feel proud if they contributed to reducing the environmental
impact of golf tournaments - a 10% increase from the previous year.
In addition, 80% of spectators who saw the sustainability insights
on our DATA Wall agreed they were informative, easy to understand
and relevant. This project is providing valuable data points for
this important initiative and evidence of its impact.
"NTT DATA is revolutionising the fan experience, on and off the
course, at The Open with cutting-edge technology," says Mona
Charif, Global CMO, NTT DATA Inc.
"In partnership with The R&A, we are catalysing change by
applying our sports and entertainment expertise and integrating our
latest advancements in technology. From 5G technology to digital
analytics, we’re enabling deeper, more dynamic insights into every
aspect of the game. Our innovative partnership will have a lasting
impact, not just on transforming the fan experience, but on the
planet. We're pioneering new methods to provide sustainability
information and interactive experiences, setting new standards for
how sports can engage, inform, and inspire audiences
worldwide."
Professor Steve Otto, Chief Technology Officer, The R&A
adds, “NTT DATA's long-term partnership enables us to develop new
ways to harness the opportunities of modern golf championships,
from commercial viability to sustainability and broadening fan
engagement. Their insights, and innovative application of
technology, particularly the use of data, not only makes golf more
accessible and appealing, but also ensures The Open is poised to
thrive for many years to come. Amidst environmental sustainability
efforts, digital solutions like the NTT DATA Wall transforms how
fans interact with The Open, while the Digital Human, Lottie,
showcases what the fan experience of the future could look like,
maintaining golf’s vibrancy in today’s rapidly changing world.”
For more information please visit:
https://uk.nttdata.com/about-us/sport-sponsorships/the-open
About NTT DATA
NTT DATA is a $30+ billion trusted global innovator of business
and technology services. We serve 75% of the Fortune Global 100 and
are committed to helping clients innovate, optimize and transform
for long-term success. We invest over $3.6 billion each year in
R&D to help organizations and society move confidently and
sustainably into the digital future. As a Global Top Employer, we
have diverse experts in more than 50 countries and a robust partner
ecosystem of established and start-up companies. Our services
include business and technology consulting, data and artificial
intelligence, industry solutions, as well as the development,
implementation and management of applications, infrastructure, and
connectivity. We are also one of the leading providers of digital
and AI infrastructure in the world. NTT DATA is part of NTT Group
and headquartered in Tokyo.
Visit us at nttdata.com.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240701375756/en/
Jessica Davis NTTDATA@Resonancecrowd.com +44 208 819 3170