AI camera mistakes referee’s bald head for ball, follows it through the match
The commentator had to repeatedly apologise as the camera kept on mistaking the ball for the linesman’s head
In a bizarre incident at a soccer game in Scotland, an artificial intelligence (AI) camera continuously tracked a bald referee mistaking it for the ball.
A video of the hilarious gaffe has gone viral, leaving netizens amused online, reports the Indian Express.
The unprecedented event, which occurred during a match between Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Ayr United hosted in Inverness in the distant Scottish Highlands at the Caledonian Stadium, has got everyone talking online on how technology once again intercepted the match in the wrong way.
The commentator had to repeatedly apologise as the camera kept on mistaking the ball for the linesman's head.
Owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Inverness club had announced its decision to refrain using human camera operators and instead rely on an automated camera system to follow the action. However, the AI camera couldn't differentiate between the ball and the bald head of the linesman, with the referee's head glistening in the glorious Scottish sun in the late afternoon.
As center-forward Nikola Todorov scored the team's first goal, Thick Accent reported, "The camera kept on mistaking the ball for the bald head on the sidelines, denying viewers of the real action while focusing on the linesman instead".
The club had proudly announced earlier that the new "Pixellot system uses cameras with in-built, AI, ball-tracking technology" and would be used to capture HD footage of all home matches at Caledonian Stadium, which would be broadcast directly to season-ticket holders' homes. Alas, things didn't go as plan.
Netizens on social media had a blast poking fun at the hilarious turn of events.