Hawk Eye Technology

Seminar Report

Submitted

By

Harshit Anand
Reg. No: 130907210
Section: C

Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering

MANIPAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
(A Constituent Institute of Manipal University)
MANIPAL-576 104
September 2016

INTRODUCTION
We see that sports have gained important commercially and has gained lot of popularity nowadays.
This leads to need of making it interesting and fair.
Human error plays significant role in decision making. And to minimize it technological
development is what we need. It even helps them take better decisions.
Hawk Eye technology is one such innovative system in sports broadcasting used in sports like
tennis. It tracks the ball path and hence predicts the trajectory in which it was most likely to go.
This system was developed and patented by Paul Hawkins and David Sherry at Roke Manor
Research Limited at Romsey in the year 2001.
The first usage of this technology was seen in a cricket match between England and Pakistan at
Lords on 21st April 2001 showing an accuracy of 99.99 percent and in tennis it was introduces in
2006 US open.

CONTENTS
1.PRINCIPLE ................................................................................................................................. 1
2.COMPONENTS .......................................................................................................................... 2
2.1 THE TRACKING SYSTEM................................................................................................. 2
2.2 VIDEO REPLAY SYSTEM ................................................................................................. 3
3.WORKING .................................................................................................................................. 3
3.1 CAMERA CALIBERATION ............................................................................................... 3
3.2 THE PROCESSING.............................................................................................................. 4
3.3 BALL RECOGNITION ........................................................................................................ 4
3.4 GEOMETRIC ALGORITHM............................................................................................... 4
3.5 TRACKING OF THE BALL ................................................................................................ 5
3.6 PREDICTION OF FLIGHT OF THE BALL ....................................................................... 5
4. APPLICATIONS ........................................................................................................................ 5
4.1 CRICKET .............................................................................................................................. 5
4.2 TENNIS ................................................................................................................................. 5
4.3 OTHERS ............................................................................................................................... 5

1.PRINCIPLE
Hawk eye technology is taken from the triangulation principle. This system states that location of
a point can be derived from angles made by known points on fixed base by making usage of the
captured visual images and the timing data that is provided by high speed video cameras which
are fit at different locations making different angles around the area of play. The data of minimum
two cameras is required for these computations.

Fig1.1 The triangulation principle

2.COMPONENTS
Hawk Eye system has two major parts namely the tracking system and the video playback
system.
2.1 THE TRACKING SYSTEM
This is the major part of the Hawk Eye technology. They comprise of advanced speed and
high performance cameras which can capture over 60 frames per second and speed guns to
measure ball speed with high accuracy.

Fig 2.1 Cameras

Fig 2.1 Cameras

Fig 2.2 Speed Gun

The tracking system calculates the ball speed, the swing from the starting point to the pitching
point, the bounce, the deviation from wicket and in cases like leg before wicket is predicts the
trajectory behind legs to stumps.
2

The cameras are placed at sufficient height above the court so as to cover whole of it. The precision
of these cameras is around 3.6mm and speed varies between 60 to 100 frames per second.
The speed gun is used to measure speed of the ball. It produces Infrared Laser beam and also
receives them back. The speed calculated is then divided by two as the distance was covered twice
during the measurement process.
2.2 VIDEO REPLAY SYSTEM
This system comprises of storage devices mostly high capacity hard drives to store the captured
videos and monitoring displays to observe them. The more the number of cameras more angular
views of the ball path can be observed. The system generates graphic image for the path of the ball
in playing area, which can be provided to judges, television viewers or coaching staff in near realtime scenario.

3.WORKING

Fig 3.1 The process workflow

3.1 CAMERA CALIBERATION
The distance that is to be captured in camera is dependent on the geometry and the dimensions of
the ground and the pitch and hence there is a need of initial calibration.

Fig 3.1.1 Camera calibration for a cricket pitch

3.2 THE PROCESSING
This system has a storage of some additional data for comparison with the observed data to get
more reliability and usefulness in results. It comprises of a statistic generator, which produces the
statistics on the basis of collected data. It also stores additional data like the ball speed. These data
are very helpful to predict the approximate location of the ball from the images captured in
previous frames.
3.3 BALL RECOGNITION
Ball recognition is done by the process known as Blob detection. This technique senses size of the
ball and also negates the confusion caused by shadow which might cause hindrance. The system
finds the pixels which combine to form the image of the ball. This is done by comparing position
of the ball from the previous frames and location of sun at that instant.
3.4 GEOMETRIC ALGORITHM
The geometric algorithm used here is for looking out for multiple images of same object and to
combine them precisely to obtain the 3 dimensional coordinates in which the ball lies. The 2
dimensional images taken by each of the cameras is combined to get the 3D position off the ball.

3.5 TRACKING OF THE BALL

The three dimensional positions of ball obtained continuously from the geometric algorithm at
various instances are combined to track the trajectory of the ball.
3.6 PREDICTION OF FLIGHT OF THE BALL
Once the track of ball is made, it becomes very easy to predict the further activities. This is done
by comparing the behavior from the database of behavior stored in the system. This information
is the one which is required. Hence it is sent to the display system from where it is made available
to us.

4. APPLICATIONS
4.1 CRICKET
To find where the ball has pitched. To find location of impact on batsmens leg and predict its
trajectory beyond it to see if it hits the stumps. To generate wagon wheel of batsmen scoring area.
For ballers it is used to find where the ball pitches and to finding how far the ball deviates after it.
To make pitch maps to see ballers consistency. It can also be used to find the reaction time of
fielders.
4.2 TENNIS
In the game of tennis, it plays significant role in finding whether the ball pitched in or out.
4.3 OTHERS
The Haw Eye Technology finds use in other areas like for high speed wheel alignment in
automobile industry to give higher productivity. The Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is an
American all-weather which tracks enemy location from far away distances. And the list is still
extending.

CONCLUSION
Even though Hawk Eye has been criticized for certain reasons but its advantages on large scale
hides them. It has high accuracy making decisions up to players satisfaction. Its runs real time
simulations giving very attractive and natural look and hence feels like real. It is a great tool for
players and their coaches to visualize their games and come up with new strategies. Moreover, it
generates interest amongst viewers which benefits the organizers.
This system is being adopted in various new areas which includes Virtual games like Brian Lara
International cricket, smash court tennis etc.

REFERENCES
[1.]
Hawk
Eye,
Hawk
Eye
http://www.hawkeyeinnovations.co.uk/sports/cricket.

Technology

in

Cricket

[2.]
Hawk
Eye,
Hawk
Eye
http://www.hawkeyeinnovations.co.uk/sports/tennis.

Technology

in

Tennis,

[3.]
Chetan
Kumar,
Hawk
Eye
http://www.slideshare.net/chethuabc/hawkeye-tehnology, 6 March 2016.

Technology,

[4.] N. Owens, C Harris, C Stennett, Hawk Eye Tennis System, Visual Information
Engineering Conference, page 182-185, 2013.

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paper text:
1.PRINCIPLE Hawk eye technology is taken from the triangulation principle. This system states that location
of a point can be derived from angles made by known points on fixed base by making usage of the captured

2visual images and the timing data that is provided by high speed video

cameras which are fit at different locations making different angles around the
area of play. The

data of minimum two cameras is required for these computations. Fig1.1 The triangulation principle
2.COMPONENTS Hawk Eye system has two major parts namely the tracking system and the video
playback system. 2.1 THE TRACKING SYSTEM This is the major part of the Hawk Eye technology. They
comprise of advanced speed and high performance cameras which can capture over 60 frames per second
and speed guns to measure ball speed with high accuracy. Fig 2.1 Cameras Fig 2.1 Cameras Fig 2.2 Speed
Gun The tracking system calculates the ball speed, the swing from the starting point to the pitching point, the
bounce, the deviation from wicket and in cases like leg before wicket is predicts the trajectory behind legs to
stumps. The cameras are placed at sufficient height above the court so as to cover whole of it. The precision
of these cameras is around 3.6mm and speed varies between 60 to 100 frames per second. The speed gun
is used to measure speed of the ball. It produces Infrared Laser beam and also receives them back. The
speed calculated is then divided by two as the distance was covered twice during the measurement process.
2.2 VIDEO REPLAY SYSTEM This system comprises of storage devices mostly high capacity hard drives to
store the captured videos and monitoring displays to observe them. The more the number of cameras more
angular views of the ball path can be observed. The system generates graphic image for the path

1of the ball in playing area, which can be provided to judges, television

9/22/2016 8:13 PM

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2 of 2

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viewers or coaching staff in near real- time

scenario. 3.WORKING Fig 3.1 The process workflow 3.1 CAMERA CALIBERATION The distance that is to
be captured in camera is dependent on the geometry and the dimensions of the ground and the pitch and
hence there is a need of initial calibration. Fig 3.1.1 Camera calibration for a cricket pitch 3.2 THE
PROCESSING This system has a storage of some additional data for comparison with the observed data to
get more reliability and usefulness in results. It comprises of a statistic generator, which produces the
statistics on the basis of collected data. It also stores additional data like the ball speed. These data are very
helpful to predict the approximate location of the ball from the images captured in previous frames. 3.3 BALL
RECOGNITION Ball recognition is done by the process known as Blob detection. This technique senses
size of the ball and also negates the confusion caused by shadow which might cause hindrance. The system
finds the

1pixels which combine to form the image of the ball.

This is done by comparing position of the ball from the previous frames and location of sun at that instant.
3.4 GEOMETRIC ALGORITHM The geometric algorithm used here is for looking out for multiple images of
same object and to combine them precisely to obtain the 3 dimensional coordinates in which the ball lies.
The 2 dimensional images taken by each of the cameras is combined to get the 3D position off the ball. 3.5
TRACKING OF THE BALL The three dimensional positions of ball obtained continuously from the geometric
algorithm at various instances are combined to track the trajectory of the ball. 3.6 PREDICTION OF FLIGHT
OF THE BALL Once the track of ball is made, it becomes very easy to predict the further activities. This is
done by comparing the behavior from the database of behavior stored in the system. This information is the
one which is required. Hence it is sent to the display system from where it is made available to us. 4.
APPLICATIONS 4.1 CRICKET To find

1where the ball has pitched. To find location of impact on batsmens leg

and predict its trajectory beyond it to see if it hits the stumps. To generate wagon wheel of batsmen scoring
area. For ballers it is used to find where the ball pitches and to finding how far the ball deviates after it. To
make pitch maps to see ballers consistency. It can also be used to find the reaction time of fielders. 4.2
TENNIS In the game of tennis, it plays significant role in finding whether the ball pitched in or out. 4.3
OTHERS The Haw Eye Technology finds use in other areas like for high speed wheel alignment in
automobile industry to give higher productivity. The Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is an American
all-weather which tracks enemy location from far away distances. And the list is still extending. 1 2 3 4 5

9/22/2016 8:13 PM