NTT DATA Enhances Emotional Interaction at The Open through AI-Powered Emotion Identification technology
The NTT DATA Wall, a key component of spectator engagement at The Open, has undergone a significant transformation this year, thanks to a partnership with Affectiva. This collaboration has introduced real-time emotion analysis and interpretation, enriching the fan experience both on-site and remotely.
With the 2018 visualization of The NTT DATA Wall, the tournament saw an unprecedented display of live updates from all 70 players golfing simultaneously. But this year, the wall offers more than just scores - it delves into the heart of the action, analysing and interpreting the emotional responses of spectators.
The technology, developed by Affectiva, operates locally on devices, ensuring privacy compliance. It analyses the facial expressions of emotions, such as excitement, surprise, or disappointment, providing a deeper understanding of fan sentiment and engagement.
This emotional data is utilised in several ways:
- Real-Time Emotional Insights: By capturing genuine emotional responses during key moments of the tournament, the technology offers a deeper understanding of fan sentiment and engagement.
- Enhanced Broadcasts and Content: Broadcasters and content creators can use these emotional insights to tailor commentary, replays, and highlight reels that resonate with the audience's feelings, making the viewing experience more immersive and emotionally connected.
- Personalized Fan Interaction: The data from emotion recognition allows event organisers and partners to create more personalised interactions, such as targeted messages, offers, or interactive social media content that reflect fan moods and enhance enjoyment.
- Improved Event Atmosphere: Understanding crowd emotions helps organisers manage the event environment better - knowing when fans are most engaged or require energising moments, thus creating a more vibrant and enjoyable atmosphere.
The Open, golf's oldest championship, has been taking place for 150 years. Over the years, the NTT DATA Wall has evolved, incorporating cutting-edge technology to enhance the fan experience. This year, the wall utilises AI-driven emotion recognition technology, as showcased by the partnership with Affectiva.
NTT DATA became an Official Patron of The Open six years ago, and the event organisers, The R&A, have been modernising their offering by using social media and streaming platforms. The collected data, combined with the noise of the crowd and social media sentiment, has created a list of the most exciting moments of the tournament.
Several cameras were mounted atop the NTT DATA Wall to capture facial expressions of emotion using Affectiva's technology. This initiative has helped The Open's brand hone in on what stories to tell, which highlights to cut, and much more, creating a more dynamic and emotionally engaging experience for fans.
Affectiva's technology enables the collection of insights into unfiltered consumer emotional responses for emotion-aware apps and digital experiences. In 2018, NTT DATA worked with Affectiva to understand the level of excitement from the crowd outside viewing the wall. The technology can detect complex and nuanced human emotions and cognitive states from facial muscle movements, offering a unique and engaging way for fans to connect with the tournament.
- Leveraging the AI-driven emotion recognition technology provided by Affectiva, the NTT DATA Wall provides a more immersive golf experience by not only showcasing scores but also analyzing and interpreting the emotional responses of spectators, such as excitement, surprise, or disappointment.
- The advanced technology developed by Affectiva is utilized in sports broadcasts and content creation, allowing for emotional insights to be incorporated into commentary, replays, and highlight reels, thus making the viewing experience more personally relevant and emotionally connected for fans watching golf tournaments, such as The Open.
