Ericon unveils Piero augmented reality graphics for sports broadcasting

Ericssons Piero Augmented Reality enables broadcasters to overlay 3D graphics and analysis in real-time during live studio productions and sports games for a more immersive viewing experience

The new software will feature cutting-edge illustrative effects and analysis

Piero Augmented Reality will debut at NAB Show in April 2016

Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) today announces the launch of Piero Augmented Reality, a cutting-edge software system that gives broadcasters the ability to enhance sports programming and create more immersive viewing experiences.

Ericssons Piero Augmented Reality enables broadcasters to overlay 3D graphics in real-time during live studio productions and sports games. Sports analysis graphics can be produced instantly either by a system operator or by a presenter using a tablet device. The graphics are then projected onto the studio floor in 3D allowing broadcasters to illustrate the analysis sequence without cutting away from the studio environment. The software is currently being tested by the BBC for its iconic football highlights TV program, Match of the Day.

The market-leading technology, which makes its global debut at NAB 2016 in Las Vegas, integrates easily with major studio tracking systems including Motion Analysis and nCam and popular sports information service Opta. In addition to the effects already available in Piero Sports Graphics system, some new ones include:

3D Virtual Replay - visualize a replay of the match on the studio floor

3D Heat Map - a customizable heat map based on Opta touch data

Goal Build Up - visualize the passes sequence to a goal or a shot

Pass Map - visualize a teams passes map during a game

Actual game footage projected in 3D on the studio floor

3D Shots on goal - visualize shot trajectories and attempts on goal

Penalty Heat Map - customizable heat map based on Opta penalty shots data

Thorsten Sauer, Head of Broadcast and Media Services, Ericsson, says: When sports programming was first broadcast on TV, data visualization was confined to basic statistics reporting, separated from the actual sports clips, and relied only on expert commentaries to make data understandable. Piero Augmented Reality allows broadcasters to go beyond rudimentary, pre-built 2D graphics and bring events to life through data-driven stories for even more compelling viewing and create deeper engagement through stunning artistry. With some major sporting events on the horizon in 2016, were confident that this industry-first technology will really elevate sports programming to an even bigger stage.

Piero Augmented Reality is a part of Ericssons Piero product suite. Piero is Ericssons world-leading real time sports graphics software specifically designed to enhance and analyze sports for broadcasters and TV service providers. Offering a user-friendly and reliable system, Piero is used by over 50 broadcasters around the world to deliver stunning, fast and accurate analysis graphics of sports programming and to enhance broadcast presentation of international sporting events such as the Olympic Games.

Using image recognition and state-of-the-art graphic overlays, Ericssons Piero enhances sports video media with visually engaging and informative illustrative effects and statistics. The Piero platform enables a wide range of graphical effects to be added to video; from simple markers and counters to more sophisticated effects such as heat maps, formations and 3D flyarounds that can be used for live productions or highlight shows. Piero offers bespoke modules for a wide variety of sports, from football and tennis to hurling and handball.

Every day, people on all continents watch television programs prepared, managed and broadcast by more than 2,500 Ericsson staff based in Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and the US. Ericsson is the largest provider of content discovery services in Europe, delivering metadata, images, search and recommendations on more than 3,000 TV channels in over 30 languages. Every year, Ericsson Broadcast and Media Services distributes more than 2.7 million hours of programming in more than 90 languages for more than 500 TV channels worldwide. In addition, we provide more than 230,000 hours of captioning each year - over 100,000 hours of which is live.

More information about Ericssons Broadcast and Media Services portfolio can be found here.

NOTES TO EDITORS

Piero video

Broadcast and Media Services press backgrounder

For media kits, backgrounders and high-resolution photos, please visit www.ericsson.com/press

Ericsson is the driving force behind the Networked Society - a world leader in communications technology and services. Our long-term relationships with every major telecom operator in the world allow people, business and society to fulfill their potential and create a more sustainable future.

Our services, software and infrastructure - especially in mobility, broadband and the cloud - are enabling the telecom industry and other sectors to do better business, increase efficiency, improve the user experience and capture new opportunities.

With approximately 115,000 professionals and customers in 180 countries, we combine global scale with technology and services leadership. We support networks that connect more than 2.5 billion subscribers. Forty percent of the worlds mobile traffic is carried over Ericsson networks. And our investments in research and development ensure that our solutions - and our customers - stay in front.

Founded in 1876, Ericsson has its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden. Net sales in 2015 were SEK 246.9 billion (USD 29.4 billion). Ericsson is listed on NASDAQ OMX stock exchange in Stockholm and the NASDAQ in New York.

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LINK:	http://www.ericsson.com/uk/thecompany/press/releases/2016/04/2004174...
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