Universities Week 2012 highlights Surrey’s Olympics credentials

Friday 20 July 2012

The reports published by Universities UK as part of their national Universities Week initiative (30 April- 7 May) showcase the facilities at the state-of-the-art Surrey Sports Park sports facilities and highlight two sports-related pieces of research with significance for the London 2012 games and beyond.

One of the research projects highlighted deals with the application of 3D skeletal motion camerawork to produce replays of athletes’ performances.

Due to the constraints of TV production at events such as the Olympic and Paralympic Games, it is not possible to install specialist multiple camera systems which allow for the direct recovery of 3D information. The project, a collaboration between the University of Surrey’s Centre for Vision, Speech and Signal Processing (CVSSP) and BBC Research and Development, enables the reconstruction of the 3D skeletal motion of an athlete from a single moving broadcast camera, allowing subsequent use for analysis and commentary.

For example, the recovered skeletal motion might be used to compare different high-jump attempts for an individual athlete or to allow comparison between athletes in a track event such as the 100 metres.

A second project at the University has focused on the personal and economic regeneration as a result of the London 2012 Games and how this will help inspire the skills of hard to employ people in London and across the UK.

Paul Blanchard, Surrey Sports Park Chief Executive said: “Universities Week 2012 is an excellent opportunity to showcase some of the fantastic work universities are contributing to the world of sport. In addition to the research projects highlighted, a number of our Team Surrey athletes are representing the University at the  British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Outdoor Athletics Championships in the Olympic Stadium, which is the culmination of Universities Week.

“Here at Surrey Sports Park we also have direct involvement in the preparations for London 2012 as an official pre-games training camp venue hosting 16 Olympic and Paralympic nations.  These activities are all part of our wider Celebrate Surrey initiative to mark and participate in celebrations for London 2012.”

Lord Coe, chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) says: “I am delighted to be supporting Universities Week 2012 which is celebrating the Higher Education sector’s engagement with the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”