Tokyo Olympics staff get help from Alibaba Cloud to manage heat risks

Alibaba will be using a combination of technology to ensure that staff working at the Tokyo Olympic Games will be safe from heatstroke during the event.

First, an in-ear device helps keep track of the body temperature and heart rate of the Olympic onsite staff in Tokyo.

Based on the body temperature, heart rate and the environment index, a cloud-based system will identify the level of heatstroke risk in real-time for individual working staff.

Alerts will then be sent to those being exposed to a high level of risk along with recommended precautionary measures – such as drinking more water – to reduce the chances of getting heatstroke.

Hidemasa Nakamura, Chief of the Main Operations Centre (MOC) of the Tokyo Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, said:

The Tokyo Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games is working on various measures to protect working staff from the heat.

Although it is expected to be extremely hot during the Olympic Games, we will provide support for the staff working for the operation of the Games. The cloud-based technology provided by Alibaba plays an important role here.

Other Alibaba Cloud uses at the Games

Alibaba is also using their Cloud services in different ways at the Tokyo Olympics to support athletes, fans, staff, and the media. For example:

• OBS Cloud for broadcasters: During Tokyo 2020, OBS Cloud gives the Rights Holding Broadcasters (RHBs) access to the cloud hosted platform, which includes a variety of short-form, ready-to-air content produced by OBS designed for digital and social media platforms.
• 3DAT for athletes: Hosted on Alibaba Cloud and leveraging Intel's technology, 3D Athlete Tracking (3DAT) gives audiences professional insights into athletes' performance as it happens. Without the need for motion tracking sensors, 3DAT leverages standard video, AI and Computer Vision to extract over 20 points in 3D on the athlete's body, transforming that data into visualisations to enhance broadcasters' storytelling for key Athletics sprinting events.
• Olympic Channel: Olympics.com, which is hosted on Alibaba Cloud, has content designed to keep Olympic sports and athletes relevant in the years between each Olympic Games and attract new, younger audiences to a sports movement.
• Alibaba Cloud Pin: Designed to add new digital contribution to the traditional pin collecting and trading culture, this digital wearable is the first cloud pin designed to enable the media working at the International Broadcasting Centre (IBC) and Main Press Centre (MPC) to engage with each other and exchange social media contact information in a safe and interactive manner during the Olympic Games.