The NHL has introduced a new system to help referees during Saturday’s Stadium Series game between Detroit and Columbus, using real-time haptics alerts on Apple Watches. The system, called the NHL Watch Comms App, provides situational notifications with 25 data points from the league’s OASIS feed, which tracks puck and player movements.
For the first time, this technology will be used in an outdoor game at Ohio Stadium. Officials will receive haptic vibrations on their wrists when a power play ends, allowing them to stay focused on the ice and avoid collisions with players. The system also alerts officials to the clock ticking down for the end of periods.
NHL executive vice president Stephen Walkom praised the technology, saying it’s “a dependable, durable and useful tool” that keeps officials safe and focused on the game. The NHL has seen 92.5% adoption rate among on-ice officials using Apple Watches with the app.
The league is exploring ways to use this technology further, including alerting officials to pucks shot into the netting behind goals or high stick contacts. As the puck tracking system continues to be refined, the watches may one day provide real-time alerts for goal-line collisions. The NHL aims to leverage these watches for communication between officials across different locations, such as the ice, arena, and video review room.
Source: https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/44051056