Thursday, December 04, 2008

Hot Spot - the perils of technology


If you're a cricket fan, you're now well used to Hawkeye, the Snickometer and perhaps even the Protecto-Cam (ok, that one only exists in Billy Birmingham's world). Most recently, you've probably encountered Hot Spot.

Launched a couple of years ago by Channel Nine (who else?), Hot Spot uses infra-red imaging technology, detecting the heat emitted when, for example, the ball strikes the edge of the bat. Viewers are shown a negative image which clearly highlights the "hot spots," amongst which are any points of impact between the ball and other surfaces.

Hot Spot technology has also detected a few other distinct heat signatures that viewers have hitherto not been made privy too. If you thought technology was putting the Umpire's decision making under intense scrutiny, you're right, but the scrutiny doesn't end there.

Hot Spot, it transpires, can also detect flatulence. That's right. The Channel Nine technicians "see" Umpires and Players breaking wind. One can only wonder if they've actually been keeping score, as it were. You'd have to imagine baked-beans-on-toast Warney would be somewhere at the top end of the rankings.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is quite a pity that the cricket field is no longer a place where a player can be himself or herself.

Additionally, the bright flash of white in the groin area is also interesting. Will this evil technology also be used to restrict who and how people choose to love?

guestblogger said...

Interesting piece of technology isn't it?

Excellent site by the way. If you could drop me an email when you get a chance - that would be great.

Thanks

Thomas

thomasrooney.omr(@)gmail.com