Biometric Security Among Features of Alibaba’s Cloud-Based Olympics Platform

“Other applications of the platform’s AI-driven technology highlighted in Alibaba’s announcement include using immersive technology to enhance the spectator experience, leveraging deep learning to optimize athletes’ training regimens, and storing media in easily searchable cloud servers.”

China-based e-commerce giant Alibaba is offering biometric security to Olympics organizers, among other things, as part of its Alibaba Cloud ET Sports Brain suite of services.

In a statement announcing the platform, Alibaba explained that it can offer cloud-based biometric identification for venues in the Olympics and other sporting events, not only for security and access control but also for crowd management. It’s a little late to deploy these solutions at the current PyeongChang Olympic Games, of course, but Alibaba is taking the opportunity to make its pitch to stakeholders in future events, noting that host cities can also use Alibaba Cloud ET Sports Brain’s big data analytics to find the optimal locations as they plan their events.

Other applications of the platform’s AI-driven technology highlighted in Alibaba’s announcement include using immersive technology to enhance the spectator experience, leveraging deep learning to optimize athletes’ training regimens, and storing media in easily searchable cloud servers. And this is just the beginning, Alibaba says, with CMO Chris Tung asserting, “Over the next ten years, Alibaba Cloud services will serve as the foundation of our efforts to drive the digital transformation of the Games, creating a more efficient and enjoyable experience for all audiences.”

As for Alibaba Cloud ET Sports Brain’s biometric capabilities, Alibaba’s announcement did not go into detail about the modalities supported, but it is worth noting that the company announced at the end of last year that it would deploy facial and voice recognition technologies to enhance the traveller experience on the Shanghai subway system.

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February 12, 2018 – by Alex Perala