Munich, June 4th 2020 - NTT DATA is one of this year's winners of the German Innovation Award. The award for outstanding innovation goes to the leading provider of business and IT solutions in the category "Excellence in Business to Consumer - Travel, Sports & Outdoor Goods" for the innovative use of Artificial Intelligence in golf: The NTT DATA Wall offers visitors to The Open, the oldest golf tournament in the world, a revolutionary viewing experience with live updates on player stats and impressive 3D animations in real time.

Abbildung 1 NTT DATA - The Open: Players data analysis

The Open golf tournament, of which NTT DATA is the main sponsor, brings together the world's best golfers every year to test their skills on the most beautiful courses in the British Isles. In 2019 the tournament returned to Royal Portrush Golf Course in Northern Ireland for the first time in 68 years and impressed players and visitors with the NTT DATA Wall in the Spectator Village. This uses Artificial Intelligence to provide spectators with visual coverage and game analysis of unprecedented quality. A future-oriented solution for sports organisers and broadcasters, because with up to 70 players on the course it is highly complex to track in real time which of the players is playing a birdie, staying under par or has to get out of the rough - and to decide which image is broadcast live to the spectators.

NTT DATA Wall's AI technologies analyse players' facial expressions and body posture as well as real-time fan reactions. Within 0.5 seconds the best picture of the current state of the game is created for the fans, enriched by extensive analyses. At The Open, over 2.7 billion data points are processed daily. By analysing the players' posture, learning algorithms filter the decisive highlights from the flood of all available live camera images and present them to the spectators in addition to the TV broadcast. In this way, along with the most relevant live images at any given time, the visitors receive additional information about the state of the game which was not possible previously.

Abbildung 2 NTT DATA - The Open - Analysis through AI technologies, including realtime display

The German Innovation Award honours products and solutions across all industries that distinguish themselves primarily in user-centricity and added value compared to previous solutions. The jury consists of independent, interdisciplinary experts from industry, science, institutions, and finance. The entries are evaluated according to the criteria of innovation level, user benefit and economic efficiency. The innovation strategy should consider aspects such as social, ecological, economic sustainability and the use of energy and resources. Factors such as location and employment potential, longevity, market maturity, technical quality and function, materiality and synergy effects also play a decisive role in the judging process.

Stefan Hansen, CEO of NTT DATA DACH, is delighted about the award: "The award is an honour, a challenge and a commitment at the same time. As Trusted Global Innovator we stand for technologies that not only benefit companies but also society. With technology we support digital transformation and create at the same time fascinating and emotional solutions that bring new perspectives to people".

About NTT DATA

NTT DATA is a leading IT services provider and global innovation partner headquartered in Tokyo, with business operations in over 50 countries. Our emphasis is on long-term commitment, combining global reach with local intimacy to provide premier professional services varying from consulting and systems development to outsourcing. For more information, visit www.nttdata.com.

Press contact:
NTT DATA Deutschland GmbH
Katja Friedrich
VP, Head of Communications
Tel.: +49 7243 570-1349
E-mail: Katja.Friedrich@nttdata.com

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