Technical upgrade iPhones replace the VAR system in the Premier League
From this season, around two dozen iPhones will be used on the sidelines in the Premier League. These should be many times more accurate than the previous VAR system. But how does it all work?
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- The Premier League is introducing a new video referee system called "Dragon" this season.
- This is based on iPhone technology that captures 7,000 to 10,000 data points per player to enable more precise decisions.
- The system uses 28 specially cooled iPhones, which are positioned on the edge of the pitch and record up to 200 images per second.
The Premier League is back on. And the first weekend offered spectacle at every turn: Fabian Schär was sent off after an assault, a horror foul on Nottingham's Danilo overshadowed the entire match and Haaland silenced Cucurella after antics at the European Championship celebrations.
A major technical innovation on the sidelines almost goes unnoticed. The video assistant referee (VAR) has been undergoing a complete overhaul since the start of the summer. The previous technology is giving way to an iPhone-based system called "Dragon", which is to be fully implemented by the end of the season.
More data for fewer disputes?
But how exactly does "Dragon" work? At the heart of the new system are 24 to 28 specially prepared iPhones, which are positioned on the edge of the pitch. This allows up to 10,000 data points per player to be recorded. By comparison, the old VAR system only recorded 29 data points.
Thanks to this enormous amount of data, it is possible to capture the players' body contours and movements much more accurately than before and thus create virtual digital twins of the entire match. AI support also makes it possible to calculate body parts that are hidden by other players. This is particularly relevant in situations where visibility is limited due to dense constellations of players.
In controversial scenes, the frame rate can also be increased to up to 200 frames per second. This makes it possible to determine even more precisely when the ball has left a player's foot, particularly in the case of offside decisions. With the help of a virtual 3D mesh over the pitch, including the offside line, referees can then make decisions more easily.
Model for other leagues and sports?
The iPhone 14 or iPhone 15 Pro models are used for "Dragon". They are mounted in special four-person frames, supplied with mains power and actively cooled during the game. The locations of the devices can vary from game to game depending on the size of the stadium.
With the introduction of the new system, league officials hope that there will finally be fewer discussions about sensitive decisions. Since the introduction of the VAR, the assistant referee has been repeatedly criticized for delays and inaccuracies. If the system proves successful, it could be used not only in football, but also in other sports and in the entertainment industry in the area of motion capture.
