A ground breaking new technology from UK based company Real Time Race, which hit the public domain this weekend on BBC Click, is about to revolutionise the way people watch motorsport. In the past fans could just passively watch a race, now viewers will be able to compete virtually in an event, live!
Real Time Races CEO Chris Leigh explains; "We can put you in your own car, within real TV coverage of a real race, and in real time against the professionals. When Jenson Button nails his car from the front you can go and chase after him and try and beat him to the first corner."
Real Time Race can map a race circuit just prior to a race and then generate a fully immersive environment that the viewer can then manipulate, just like in a video game. All that the viewer needs is a laptop, computer or internet television to compete live. For the future you will be able to use an Xbox, Playstation or even a mobile phone. By downloading the circuit television pictures and cars immediately before the event, fans will not require huge computing power to join in and the actual data stream required to generate car positions is relatively small.
Realism will be exceptional with GPS sensors in the real cars allowing their position to be pinpointed to within a few centimeters, meaning that if Alonso spins, virtual players will have to avoid him.
The real magic lies with Real Time Races proprietary Iflex technology. By combining LIDAR track scans (similar to Radar but using lasers to measure distance) and multiple video feeds, Iflex is able to generate camera views that were never actually filmed. A user is then able to move around within this video just as they would in a normal CGI game environment.
Real Time Races potential is not just limited to motorsport either, the technology can be just as easily applied to cycling, athletics or even bobsleigh. In future sports fans could even fly in a virtual ski jump!
Real Time Race are currently working with a number of global motorsport series with the aim of bringing fans the technology in 2010. Until then gamers and fans can download a pilot prototype made for the BBC here.
To watch the BBC click video, please click here.
