This weekend, tune in to the first 5G immersive SuperBike World Championship race

The event will be hosted by the Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit, 18-20 September

5G technology’s capacity will be put to the test this weekend (18-20 September) when the 6^th round of the 2020 Motul FIM SuperBike World Championship (WorldSBK) will take place on the Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit. The project was announced by Jordi Puigneró, Regional Minister of Digital Policies in the Catalonian Government. The project represents a multi-partner collaboration between various digital innovation organizations, start-ups and the regional authorities.

The high-speed connection will allow a 360^o immersive experience for viewers

The WorldSBK championship is one of the most prestigious and popular events involving motorbikes in the world. This will also be the first time the Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit will host a round of the championship where riders race on specially tuned motorbikes.

The broadcast is expected to be made much more immersive and personalized than ever before thanks to the 5G technology.

What will happen is that two cameras will transmit signal from the circuit, which will be closed for the public this weekend due to the anti-pandemic restrictions. The first camera will broadcast a 360^o panoramic view of the circuit.

The second camera will be on a robotic arm which will be controlled remotely by Armando Folgado, a person with reduced mobility who is a fan of motorsports and tech development. With the help of special glasses, he will be able to move the camera by moving his irises.

The event will be broadcasted through these two cameras on the YouTube channel of the Catalonian TV3 and thus viewable on any fixed or mobile device.

Projects like this one “are a proof that 5G is more than a technological revolution, it is a revolution that comes to change everything, also people's lives: it will change key areas of our lives such as health, mobility, industry, agriculture and also, as we are showing today, leisure and entertainment,” said Minister Puigneró recalling the Government's commitment to making Catalonia the world capital of 5G.

He added that "we don't just want to be at the forefront of research, which we already are with 50% of 5G projects funded by the EU, but also in innovation, with projects like the one we present today, in addition to others we have promoted such as the 5G connected ambulance, the 5G Rural project or what is the flagship project of the technology in Catalonia: the 5G Mediterranean Corridor ”.