Machine Learning brings next-generation sports analysis to RT Software’s Tactic Pro.

posted:

15/12/2020

Tablet control for ease of use pitch side, in a truck or in the studio

Real-time graphics development company RT Software has just released a major update to Tactic, its acclaimed sports analysis graphic product. The company says this is its most important release to date. Version 5.4 includes many new and exciting features, the most important of which is the Player Detect function, which is free for existing users of its flagship product Tactic Pro. Using state-of-the art Machine Learning and AI, Player Detect provides automatic assisted keyframing of multiple players in parallel.

It works by detecting the players in the video stream, tracking their movements, and creating motion paths. By combining this with advanced camera tracking analysis and automatic keying, users can add graphics, such as name tags and trails, to follow players with just one click, without the need to manually add keyframes. According to RT Software, this dramatically reduces graphic production time and, more importantly, increases the narrative content.

Luke Harrison, Product Manager at RT Software, said: “Tactic Pro is now a game changer, with complex graphics that tell a real story; for example, dynamic shaded regions showing how attack or defence is crucially affecting game play can now be ready for half-time or full-time discussions. It is the speed of production that is the killer benefit and our users now have the kind of functionality that was previously only possible by taking data from expensive and complex player tracking systems.”

As well as the Player Detect feature of Tactic Pro, the new release also provides a host of new features for products across the range, including audio export and tablet control to allow a presenter to add graphics to the sequence live on camera from a wirelessly-connected hand-held device.

Assisted keyframing with Player Detect Player Detect in action; motion paths mean no keyframing required!

“Our customers who have been working with us on early releases of 5.4 with Player Detect tell us what a major step forward it is; it just works.” Luke Harrison continued, “but nobody has to take our word for it; being purely video based means that anyone can download an evaluation version from our website and see the benefits working with their clips.”

About RT Software:

RT Software is a leading worldwide provider of real-time graphics solutions. Its product set spans CG, template-driven graphic overlays, election and newsroom graphics, specialist sports graphics and virtual studios. From its beginnings as an offshoot of the BBC 3D Graphics Department in 2004, the company now has installations from Iceland to New Zealand, and its growing customer base includes the BBC, Sky Sports, Fox Sports, BT Sport and many other Tier 1 broadcasters.