Canadian startup Peripheral Labs is revolutionizing the sports viewing experience by leveraging cutting-edge autonomous sensor technology. As live sports attendance wanes, particularly among younger audiences like Gen Z, leagues and broadcasters are exploring innovative ways to enhance fan engagement with dynamic viewing options, in-depth statistics, and real-time analytics.
A standout feature of Peripheral Labs’ approach is its volumetric video generation technology, which utilizes multiple cameras to capture sports footage in 3D, allowing viewers to experience the action from various angles, akin to being inside a video game. The company’s founders, Kelvin Cui and Mustafa Khan, who have backgrounds in self-driving vehicles and sought-after engineering experience at institutions like Tesla and Huawei, aim to make this technology accessible, targeting a broader audience of teams and broadcasters.
The founders acknowledge that while volumetric video technology isn’t entirely new, recent advancements in artificial intelligence and computer vision are primed to bring it to mainstream usage. By applying principles from robotics perception, Peripheral Labs has developed a system that can significantly decrease the number of cameras required for capturing 3D images—from over 100 to as few as 32—thus reducing operational costs.
Key features of the Peripheral Labs platform include:
– Biomechanical data collection, providing insights into player movement and body positioning.
– Photorealistic 3D reconstructions, enabling fans to control viewing perspectives—such as tracking the player with the ball or analyzing critical game moments from various angles.
– A unique sensor stack similar to those found in autonomous vehicles, capturing depth and enhancing the overall viewing experience.
Cui emphasized the advantage of their approach: “While we utilize off-the-shelf cameras, our expertise in robotics and machine learning positions us competitively for scaling from practice facilities to major stadiums.”
The startup has recently secured $3.6 million in seed funding from notable investors like Khosla Ventures and Daybreak Capital. Joe Ros of Entrepreneur First highlighted the founders’ impressive track record in autonomous driving, noting the hesitancy many investors have towards sports startups, which Peripheral Labs has skillfully addressed by bridging technology and entertainment.
With plans to expand its engineering team, Peripheral Labs is focused on continuing hardware and platform development to enhance performance, reduce costs, and increase the resolution of its 3D content. Although they remain tight-lipped about current partnerships, the company is actively engaging with teams and leagues across North America, positioning itself against competitors such as Arcturus Studios in the burgeoning arena of volumetric sports capture technology.
