Big Data, Metaverse and Artificial Intelligence. The Technologies that Took Over Qatar 2022

Everything that has happened in Qatar has been extraordinary, not only at the time of the year that has been taking place or with the dismantled stadiums that have already said goodbye, but the technological advances have been more than striking. Terms like Big Data, metaverse and artificial intelligence will surely be part of our daily life in the short term. Let's start with the most relevant and that is the pillar of innovation that exists in the Middle East and is the “Big Data”.

In general terms, it can be established that the term Big Data refers to a group of technological resources that are focused on organizing, interpreting and transforming all information. To understand more easily, it is the ability to interpret and take advantage of information. This management makes it possible to identify habits and behaviors that can help to know any user who navigates through cyberspace.

The uses of big data today are very diverse, but in our daily lives it helps us permanently. For example, before leaving home you can inform us in real time about the duration of your journeys, thanks to the data provided by users who are on the roads.

In the specific case of soccer, the information comes from two main sources. First from the event, which focuses on statistically analyzing before and after the game. The compilation of information is immense, but at the same time very detailed to give the audience a broad context. Subsequently, the data is focused on monitoring, which is a more detailed approach to what happens on the field of play and each of the players involved in the actions.

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In this second stage of information gathering, the great advances of the World Cup appear, in all the stadiums of Qatar, cameras were strategically located that monitor all the players and the ball. With the recorded data, software transforms it into a model to create physical and position data. With this new resource, it is no longer necessary for the 22 men on the pitch to have a geolocation system on their body, and 25 times more data is recorded than with the previous system.

The metaverse is also being the protagonist in the tournament that has been taking place in the Middle East. The new immersive phenomenon has been included by the big television networks and streaming platforms around the world. Through an application, a link or a QR code, you will have access to exclusive content, even if you use virtual reality glasses, you will be able to live the experience in real dimensions, as if you were at the scene of the events.

FIFA is also betting heavily on the metaverse. Thanks to its alliance with the developer Roblox, you will have the possibility to play and share with other users and also get rewards with your avatar. It is expected that the bet will not end on December 18, but will extend until the Senior Women's World Cup that will take place in Australia and New Zealand in the middle of next year.

Artificial intelligence has been one of the advances that has attracted the most attention, starting with robots or systems that predict the results of matches, including who will be the next champion. Kashef, the robot developed by the Arab news agency Al Jazeera, has collected more than one hundred thousand data from the participating teams in the last century. The Qatari media exalts its success rate, which barely missed four first-round games and the winner of the round of 16 between Spain and Morocco.

Artificial intelligence has not only set a trend when it comes to making predictions, it has also been important for the safety and comfort of those attending the games that have been developed. Niyas Abdulrahiman, director of technology at the Aspire Center, in statements to Al Jazeera. "Thanks to the AI we have been able to predict a disproportionate increase in fans around and inside the facilities, the climate of the stadiums has been successfully controlled and each of the attendees has been facially recognized."