Top 5 Tech Innovations for the 2022 Winter Olympics

The Winter Olympics 2022 has come to an end after two weeks of spectacular and jaw-dropping events. Despite all of the restrictions and dangerous conditions imposed by the COVID-19 epidemic, the host country, China, did an outstanding job of protecting both participants’ and visitors’ health. We watched new records being set, conflicting emotions of delight, despair, and disappointment, as well as some drama.

Nathan Chen of the United States won the gold medal in men’s single figure skating, making him the first Asian-American to do so. With a score of 113.97, he set a world record in the men’s figure skating short program and earned a well-deserved gold for the United States.

Kamila Valieva of ROC was at the center of a tragic drama involving doping tests. While Mariah Bell of the United States became the oldest U.S. women’s national champion to compete in the Olympics since 1928.

The Chinese government confirmed the use of 212 technologies and cutting-edge high-tech solutions to combat the epidemic during the Winter Olympics. The pandemic has provided an ideal setting for a plethora of technological innovations ranging from 5G and robotization to VR and AR (Virtual and Augmented reality), AI (Artificial intelligence), 8K broadcasting, and China’s own digital currency, the e-CNY.

We would not be able to witness these historic events without the assistance of technological innovations used by China to protect both the fans’ and athletes’ health and to ensure safe competition conditions.

“While we celebrate the athletes, we also celebrate the advances in technology that connect us and make our lives better,” said Xu Qiang of the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission.

Without a doubt, Beijing 2022 witnessed some of the most cutting-edge and innovative technological solutions in fields such as entertainment, finance, retail, and so on. Let’s take a look at the top technological solutions that helped make the Winter Olympics 2022 a reality.

1. COVID-19 bioaerosol monitoring systems

According to Zachary Binney, an epidemiologist at Emory University’s Oxford College in Georgia, because COVID spreads primarily through the air, masks, HEPA filters, and ventilation systems are the most effective countermeasures. As a result, over 150 bioaerosol COVID-19 monitoring systems were deployed to detect air at all points throughout the venue. These systems have three times the detection sensitivity of traditional detection methods. Beijing also used over 30.000 sets of sensing devices to detect and report the current health conditions of service and support personnel on a consistent basis.

2. Application monitoring

All Olympic participants used an app called MY2022 to monitor, check, and keep a record of their COVID-19 health conditions. The app allows users to send personal health information on a daily basis, which is required to participate in the Games. However, the participants were concerned and perplexed about the security and vulnerability of their personal information. Especially after a Canadian internet security monitoring organization revealed the app’s major security flaws in a report. The organization expressed concern about the leakage of sensitive information such as a person’s passport details, medical and travel history. As a result, some athletes and other participants had to rely on temporary phones. There was no personal information or data storage on these phones, so there would be no risk of information leakage. For added security, visitors set up a new e-mail address and browser account on their temporary phone.

3. Digital Currency

During the winter Olympics, China conducted its first major test of digital currency. Attendees paid for food, transportation, goods, and services with only digital yuan. The entire system was simple and easy to use for the Olympic attendees. Users obtained the currency by downloading the app, purchasing a digital yuan card, or exchanging foreign currency into digital via machines located in Olympic areas. The Chinese government confirmed that the digital currency has so far been used in approximately $13.8 billion in financial transactions over the last few years.

4. A variety of robots to assist visitors and athletes

Robots of various types were used to reduce human-to-human interactions and enforce social distancing rules. Robots, for example, have been used to clean surfaces, prepare and deliver food. I saw “Instagram stories” of even athletes expressing their astonishment towards “next level” robotics. “Smart” waste containers, machines for making and serving drinks were widely used. One of the athletes captured footage of a robot delivering food to her hotel room. The machine merely “knocked” on her door and waited for her to accept food.

5. Smart beds in the winter Olympics village

The athletes slept on “smart beds” in the winter Olympics village. These beds are outfitted with sensors that collect data on the athlete’s breathing and heart rates. Athletes could also select from a variety of sleeping positions. One of them was the “zero gravity” position, which relieved muscle tension and allowed for better sleep. Media professionals were not left out either. Beijing provided media representatives with special “sleep rest cabins” that functioned similarly to smart beds. Journalists and reporters could rest for up to an hour in these cabins. The cabins were sterilized after being used.

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Beijing also paid special attention to the environment.

“Green” was also one of the themes for the technologically advanced winter games. The Olympic torch was constructed from carbon-fiber materials. These materials can withstand high temperatures. The torch and the transportation were both powered by hydrogen. CO2 direct cooling systems were used in eco-friendly ice rinks. These systems increase energy efficiency by more than 20%. The temperature difference on the ice surface was limited to 0.5 C. The winter Olympics 2022 also used biodegradable tableware made of straw and corn.

In conclusion, the Winter Olympics 2022 was a historic celebration and recognition of high-tech innovations that helped the entire world survive during the pandemic, in addition to embracing the uniqueness, diversity, friendship between nations, and discovering new talents.

Author: Srbuhi Avetisyan 

Digital marketing specialist at CodeRiders Software Development Company