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Researchers from a British university are at the forefront of developing a phone application that utilizes AI to identify the future football stars of the Premier League.
Aspiring players record themselves performing on-field training drills and then upload the videos to the free mobile application aiScout.
The app analyzes these videos using hundreds of performance metrics to search for the next talent.
Clubs such as Chelsea and Burnley, as well as top-flight teams in the US, are already using ai.io’s technology to discover the superstars of tomorrow.
The platform has now partnered with the Computer Science department at Loughborough University to improve the analysis of the clips.
This collaboration was established through the government-supported Knowledge Transfer Partnership scheme, which connects businesses with universities.
Clubs already bring in up to a dozen players for trial each month via aiScout, which maintains a global database of nearly 100,000 footballers.
Notable success stories include Jez Davies, who secured a professional contract, and Ben Greenwood, who played for a prominent team.
Professor Baihua Li, one of the leaders of the university project, stated: “This partnership demonstrates how our fundamental research can drive innovation in the industry, create new technologies, and benefit athletes and organizations worldwide.”
“By collaborating with ai.io, our Computer Science team is fostering innovation that changes how sporting talent is discovered and nurtured, while providing exciting opportunities for our researchers and students to shape the future of sports technology.”
Dr. Chris Howe, Research and Innovation Lead at ai.io, remarked: “By integrating Loughborough University’s expertise in AI and computer vision directly into ai.io’s operations, we are already witnessing significant advancements in our technology, enabling early talent detection and identification, and enhancing performance in both amateur and professional sports.”
A phone app that uses AI to assist football clubs in scouting future stars has partnered with a university to enhance its research efforts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is aiScout?
aiScout is a mobile application that allows aspiring football players to upload videos of their training drills, which are then analyzed using AI to identify potential talent.
How does the collaboration with Loughborough University benefit aiScout?
The partnership enhances the analysis capabilities of the app by incorporating advanced research in AI and computer vision, leading to improved talent detection and performance evaluation.
Which football clubs are currently using aiScout?
Clubs like Chelsea and Burnley, along with several top-flight teams in the US, are utilizing aiScout’s technology to scout for future football stars.
