The most dangerous motorsport gets a critical digital upgrade (IOT102)

TT (Tourist Trophy) Race: Digitizing the Iconic Motorcycle Event

Overview

  • Michael, part of the NTT Innovation team, shares insights about the NTT's involvement in transforming the iconic Isle of Man TT (Tourist Trophy) motorcycle race.
  • The TT is a 120-year-old event where motorcycles race on public roads without any safety barriers, making it one of the most dangerous races in the world.
  • NTT's goal is to make the TT race as safe as possible while preserving its unique character and tradition.

Challenges and Solutions

  • The TT event is held on a small island, making it difficult to provide comprehensive coverage and safety monitoring.
  • Previously, there were incidents where non-competitive vehicles collided with returning race bikes, leading to the need for better monitoring and safety measures.
  • NTT developed a solution using GPS trackers and AWS cloud platform to track the location and status of all vehicles on the race course in real-time.

Key Features of NTT's Solution

  • GPS trackers installed on every race bike and non-competitive vehicle to provide precise location and telemetry data (speed, lean angle, acceleration, etc.).
  • Reliable data transmission despite the limited cellular network coverage on the island, achieved through a custom-designed edge device that stores data and uploads in bulk when network connectivity is available.
  • Integration with the AWS cloud platform to store, process, and analyze the large volume of race data.
  • Real-time race management and timing system, providing race officials with critical insights and predictive capabilities to ensure safety.
  • Seamless integration with live streaming, social media, and TV coverage, enabling fans worldwide to experience the event.

Benefits and Future Developments

  • Improved real-time safety visibility and predictability, allowing race officials to quickly respond to any issues.
  • Comprehensive data-driven insights for the entire event, from competitor performance to spectator engagement.
  • Plans to further enhance the experience by introducing on-board camera feeds, leveraging private wireless networks to overcome the island's cellular coverage challenges.
  • Continuous innovation to increase safety features and integrate advanced analytics, such as machine learning, to further optimize the TT race management.

Conclusion

  • The TT race is a unique and thrilling event, steeped in tradition, but also embracing technology to ensure the safety of participants and spectators.
  • NTT's partnership with the TT organizers has led to the digitization of the entire event, transforming it into a cutting-edge, data-driven experience while preserving its iconic status.
  • This collaboration demonstrates how innovative technology can enhance the safety and fan engagement of high-risk, high-speed motorsports events.

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