Photo: Wavegarden
We still have no idea how and where artificial intelligence will creep its way into our daily lives…except for a general acceptance that it most likely will creep into our daily lives everywhere. We shouldn’t assume surfing will be an exception. Earlier this year, chatgpt predicted a handful of practical uses for AI in surfboard shaping and manufacturing, which included analyzing shapes for design optimization, virtual testing, customization, automating production, and optimizing quality control. Those are mostly no-brainer applications that we’ll see across almost any manufacturing industry and we can’t say that artificial intelligence is being used for those means in surfing today. In Australia, an AI tool was developed several years ago to improve safety in the water by spotting sharks and warning beachgoers of potential danger. But as a story published in 2022 pointed out, scaling such a system for actual deployment in NSW is a puzzle developers are still trying to piece together.
With all that in mind, it seems wave parks are the first to deploy artificial intelligence in a practical way connected to surfing. And it’s immediately being promoted as a revenue tool for them. Wavegarden announced this week that it’s using an AI-based video tracking program, which will allow park guests to track their sessions and individual waves without the need for wearable technology like smartwatches or any kind of tracking device. The Wavegarden application, CheckMySurf, relies on facial recognition to monitor individual surfers in its pool. They advertise it to potential developers as a revenue creator because the technology can then make clips and data available to park guests for purchase, but it’s not the only tech in this wheelhouse.
Flowstate is another AI tool that can be deployed in controlled environments like wave pools for the same uses but at first glance, it actually looks like it could be expanded to use on beaches or in your everyday lineup as well. That program actually relies on body recognition technology to identify surfers in the lineup, meaning something as specific as an individual’s posture can make them identifiable by a high-quality camera. And again, this takes out the need for carrying around a physical tracking device or a specific board sticker to spot yourself on a camera pointed at the lineup.
“We have been very focused on creating a practical system for surfers to review their waves and improve their skills while delivering a smart and easy solution for wave pool operators,” Josema Odriozola, Wavegarden CEO says. “Having the system connected to the wave-making machinery and large outdoor screens is by far the best option.”
They’re also touting this as a training tool for surfers. Recently, Leo Fioravanti claimed a backflip while training at Alai Bay. He claimed the wave technology helped him “get the backflip dialed,” but how? Microsoft and Team USA surfing actually deployed similar technology a year ago for the purposes of “improving performance and reducing injuries for athletes.” But to the Average Joe, tech like this might be used for something a little more straightforward.
“The AI breaks down the surfer’s body motion to extract structured data from each video frame. It analyzes the biomechanics of surfing maneuvers and offers valuable improvement recommendations,” said Ordiozola, adding that “currently, we are developing an automated biomechanical 3D coaching tool.”
So, in short, the price of admission is no longer going to cover your average day at a wave park if you’re walking in the door with training and progression in mind.
