Mark Roberts Motion Control and Pixelscope, announced a partnership agreement to create a market-leading, end-to-end remote acquisition and production workflow solution, taking sports production to a new level.

Mark Roberts Motion Control (MRMC), a Nikon company, and Pixelscope, the leading provider of AI-automated live sports production solutions, have announced a partnership agreement that will officially bring together MRMC’s robotic hardware products and Pixelscope’s advanced tracking and autonomous producing software to deliver an innovative AI-powered Sports Broadcast Solution.

The joint solution integrates MRMC’s AFC-180 Robotic Heads with the Pixelscope platform. It is being announced following extensive development and a recent successful trial at a number of USA Table Tennis competitions. Complementing MRMC’s hardware, Pixelscope is an innovative AI-powered sports broadcasting system designed for single-user operation. It accurately tracks the ball and players, providing real-time 3D trajectories, and by collecting image, audio, and time-series data, it facilitates the creation of “Sports Big Data”, which integrates into the final production of AI-automated live sports broadcasts.  Additionally, Pixelscope has the capability to automatically generate highlights of key moments for use in replays during broadcasts, streamlining the content production process and enhancing sports broadcasting efficiency.

The integration of AI tracking systems and broadcast robotics marks a new industrial revolution in the broadcast industry, enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and innovation. This combination allows for automation of processes, reduction of human error, and 24/7 operation while delivering personalised content based on viewer preferences. AI and robotics also enable remote broadcasting and continuous innovation, adapting to evolving industry demands. Ultimately, this revolution promises a future where broadcasting is more engaging, cost-effective, and innovative.

The go-to solution for more professional leagues

Marius Merten, Sports Broadcast Manager at MRMC, says: “MRMC is an expert in camera robotics and automation. Part of our offering includes AI-based remote acquisition technologies that allow customers to scale their productions and streamline their workflows. This technology is still new to sports broadcast and can extend beyond content capture through to the full production process. Pixelscope has a very good holistic approach here and has developed a very comprehensive software solution that complements our hardware products. It was clear to me from the very first meeting that our two companies are a perfect match. Together, we can deliver a complete product that sports broadcast production has never seen before. It opens up many new possibilities to take sports productions to a new level. The focus here is on cost savings despite a high production standard. I am delighted to be working with my colleagues at Pixelscope to create something so unique.“

Kei Kwon, CEO at Pixelscope, adds: “We’ve been working for several years to create the perfect AI solution to provide the most accurate sports data with high standard quality and to deliver this in a cost-effective way that can also open doors from the groups that get fewer spotlights, such as youth and amateurs, to the professional leagues. MRMC’s range of camera robotic solutions and expertise in motion makes them the ideal partner for us to continue towards our goal of making Pixelcast the go-to solution for more professional leagues and tournaments regardless of their tiers or sports. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for this collaboration.”

The new solution will be on display at Mark Roberts Motion Control (MRMC)’s booth during NAB 2024.