The Technology Showcased At The 2018 Winter Olympics

South Korea certainly set out to impress at this year’s Winter Olympics. Home to a hub of technology giants such as Samsung and LG, the country has always aimed to stay one step ahead. The games presented themselves as the perfect opportunity for the country to show its tech advancements to the world.

In the opening ceremony alone, South Korea managed to set a world record by flying over a thousand Shooting Star drones at once. That light show employed more than double the number of drones ever used in a performance before – and things only got more exciting from there. Here, we look at the incredible technology of the Winter Olympics.

Welcome to 5G

The Winter Olympics acted as an experimental environment for the 5G network before its full release in 2021. This high-speed broadband is set to give the broadcasting industry a massive boost. Its goal is to instantly deliver the vast amount of data required for running VR and holographic technologies.

In addition, the games allowed the world to witness the first instance of 5G broadcasting. This way of streaming managed to transmit footage of the games almost a thousand times faster than the standard broadcasting network. 

In the run-up to the games, 5G-equipped driverless buses also played a vital role, allowing guests to travel to between slopes, ice rinks, and stadiums simply and safely. As this method of transportation is implemented on a larger scale, it could transform the world as we know it, benefiting commuters by reducing the chance of accidents and minimizing traffic.

Technology in training

Advancements in technology have certainly helped competitors in previous Winter Olympics. In 2014, Canadian curling teams were equipped with a handy tool called a Smart Broom. The Smart Broom gave the team a competitive edge with its four sensors to analyze stroke speed, measure force, and angle.

Data-enhanced gear helped participants at this year’s games, as well. Two Dutch skaters trained with Samsung Smart suits, outfits layered with sensors that could analyze and measure body posture, as well as track the distance between the skater’s hips and the ice. These analytics helped athletes and coaches monitor performance and make adjustments accordingly.

For entrepreneurs like Elon Musk and Tej Kohli, investments and research in disruptive technologies hold the key to a streamlined future.

Roaming robotics

South Korea made a bold statement to its visitors right from the outset: a host of robots patrolled Seoul’s airport, ready to assist lost travelers to their gate and offer flight information. These androids are equipped with state-of-the-art voice recognition tools, which means they can understand multiple languages and scan your boarding pass for you. They also cleaned as they go, assisting airport staff.

Furo-D robots, produced by innovative AI firm Future Robot, were also available to help tourists. These robots are capable of speaking and understanding multiple languages, and they also have interactive avatars that allow users to take Olympic-themed photos.