Abstract

While an immense amount of time and money is put into the health and wellbeing of players in modern sports, refereeing technology has not had the same attention. Referees do not have real time quantitative data about fouls between players. Dives and other dramatic displays should not be indicators of severity of contact.

Ultimately, referees are not able to make extremely accurate calls in situations where it’s hard to distinguish between a fair play and a foul which negatively impacts the sport experience. Unfair calls leave a bad taste in the mouth of any fan or professional.

Our innovation, Contaxt, involves integrating sensory devices into uniforms, equipment, and game balls in an effort to collect data that reads originator of contact, level of contact, time and location of contact, and more. Sensors also communicate with each other, from player to player, and player to ball, thus providing better depth of situational understanding.

Contaxt not only acts as a method to measure the level of contact within a game, but also as a metric of performance among individual athletes. Contaxt will reform sport leagues to a higher level of play, one where good performance, rather than rule bending, dictates the winner. Performance metrics, furthermore, would also be purposeful for fan discussion, coach strategy, and a betting experience.