I doubt that many of us will like the current weather situation in Rotterdam, nevertheless I do have good news. Winter is around the corner – and with it comes the ski season. Since I am a big fan of skiing, I will dedicate this post on how AI and tech are being used on the slopes. I will present 3 interesting innovations that have been commercialized:
- Carv – Digital Ski Coach
Yes, it might sound strange, but Carv might revolutionize ski instructions. Carv provides personalized skiing tips in real-time – just like a ski coach, but over your smartphone speaker or headset. An article of the Financial Times is well describing how Carv works: “Hidden in my boots are two sensor-packed footbeds, communicating via Bluetooth to the smartphone in my jacket pocket, which in turn is reporting back to a server in Frankfurt. With each turn I throw up a spray of snow and a cloud of data. […] An average turn lasts about 1.5 seconds, during which time it will have collected and analyzed more than 5.000 pieces of information.”
- Emma – Epic Mountain Assistant
The way we can think of Emma is Siri for the slopes. A smart assistant for all snow-related queries with real-time information. According to the Telegraph, the queries include “snow conditions, queue times for lifts to your favorite runs and the status of the backside gullies, to where to head to for a family friendly meal, the best deal in resort on a new jacket, or which bars will have a happy hour later”. Moreover, it can be integrated with the apps of the ski resort which can track your speed, distance travelled or altitude changes.
- Skadi – AR ski app
Similar to Emma, Skadi is an app that is used during skiing. The difference is that Skadi works like a mountain guide who can choose new routes for you and makes sure that you do not miss your last lift. The goal is “to encourage skiers and snowboarders to explore more. Without Skadi, most visitors to a resort only tackle about 15 per cent of the ski area. Skadi opens that up and encourages visitors to try new runs” (Telegraph). Skadi has other futuristic functions that even rely on augmented reality. This means that the app combines real-time environment from the camera of the phone with visual content created like a computer game. For example, you can ski on the slope while hunting for marmots or bears, similar to Pokémon Go.
What do you think of these developments? Are they distracting you from the beauty of nature or do they help making winter sports an even greater hobby?
Bibliography
https://www.ft.com/content/049f15ce-d798-11e8-a854-33d6f82e62f8
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ski/news/siri-for-the-slopes-vail-resorts-launch-emma/
I have been going on skiing trips my whole live, and I have loved skiing ever since I started doing it, that is why I find this a very interesting post. Of course, 20 years ago, when I started skiing, there were no fancy skiing apps that showed queue times or apps that would track your performance. Maybe it is because of this upbringing without technology that makes me not want to use these apps when I’m skiing.
However, this is not the most significant reason. Personally, I find it very cool to go out in the mountains without my phone, equipped with only my gear and a map of the area. Obviously, all the skiing areas in Europe are heavily commercialised and very busy, so there is almost nothing “new” or “adventurous” about going skiing in these areas. But it gives me great peace of mind to find out about the nice routes and busy lifts before we go out on skiing trips. Thus, while on holiday I only need my route map, and some notes of the nice routes. That way, I am able to unwind during the holiday, and to stay focused on my technique in order to improve it. Enjoying the company of the people I am with and enjoying the fresh air are integral parts of skiing trips in my opinion. I believe I am able to enjoy these aspects more when I am not distracted by the devices that already distract me all year round.
Finally, most importantly, I am able to enjoy doing we both love so much. I am keen to hear your thoughts and preference regarding the use of applications while on the slopes!
Hi Janik,
As I am myself a passionate skier I read your blogpost with great interest!
Frankly spoken, I have not encountered one of the apps you introduced in your blogpost before. Yet, the next time I go skiing, I will definitely download Emma, the epic mountain assistant, as I am sure it will enhance my entire ski experience. Especially in foreign ski resorts and on unfamiliar routes, this app can be a real life saver and add value and fun to your trip.
However, I am also certain that there is a big downside to this development.
Particularly, the augmented reality function of Skadi could result in dangerous situations on the slopes. People could lose focus on the ski routes as they are busy with their phones hunting for fictive marmots or bears. Even though the app developer emphasize that the game is designed to be played through headphones, this could still lead to inattentiveness and accidents involving also other people.
To put it in a nutshell: I am sure, AI apps can improve the experience; but we should be careful to not get lost in the augmented reality and risk our own and other people’s safety on the slopes.
In the end, we should not forget to enjoy the feeling of freedom and control when skiing down the hill…
While some of these applications are definitely useful, I cannot help but feel like it reduces the beautiful nature of the sport. Yes, knowing which lifts are less busy is good to know, but constantly checking your phone while you are in this scenic environment definitely makes the experience less enjoyable. On the other hand, the app that helps you explore new routes might actually benefit your experience, so I am left having mixed feelings about these developments.
Hey Janik, very interesting insights! As a snowboarder, do you think there will be any commercialized apps in the near future for us? For example, I’m going on a ski trip coming Christmas break with my two little sisters who have no experience snowboarding. Do you think all functionalities from Carv could be implemented into a snowboard guide? Would there be any barriers programming wise and if so which? Would love to hear from you!
I will definitely try one of your examples next time I’m on the slopes.
Technology is not only adding value to our skiing experience but also to paralysed skiers making it more accessible to them. For example, recently, Vodafone has made the impossible possible – Blind Skiing with 5G. Noemi Ristau is a blind Paralympic skier. As the first blind person she went down the slopes on her own. Her guide normally skied in front of her and gave her instructions via a headset. Blind trust was essential here. With 5G Noemi was able to hit the slope on her own for the first time while her guide gave her all necessary instructions from a control centre almost in real time due to 5G. A camera on her helmet sent her guide real time videos to facilitate communication.
This is only one example, but I think that not only skiing but also other sport activities can be made more accessible to everyone by erasing limitations and hurdles with such technologies.
If you want to see it in pictures, check out this video:
https://youtu.be/WWVkKiQbK7A
Dear Janik,
It seems we have a big common interest: skiing! I loved reading your post about upcoming AI/tech developments for skiing. I do see that these developments can enrich the skiing experience. Using apps to explore more slopes, to avoid long waiting times at the lift, to improve your way of turning. Nevertheless, in my opinion skiing is about being outdoor. No music in my ears, no electronics interrupting my way down the slope. The advantages of nowadays technological possibilities for me must be consulted in the time between the slopes. Use the lift time to plan your next slope/avoid certain lifts; use your lunch break to evaluate your ski-coach app; and learn everything about snow conditions in the night, when your are back at your chalet. Don’t disturb these innovations your ski experience? And what do you think of the benefits for skiing gear with the use of emergent technologies?