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Winning idea uses VR to transport fans from anywhere in the world to the middle of live Grand Prix™ action
Austin, Texas
– Thursday, 20 October, 2016
Tata Communications, Official Connectivity Provider to Formula 1® and the Official Managed Connectivity Supplier of the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team, has today unveiled Datu YogaBrata from Singapore as the winner of the 2016 F1® Connectivity Innovation Prize. Datu YogaBrata was given a cheque for $50,000 and a bespoke trophy by Lewis Hamilton during a ceremony at the 2016 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX in Austin, Texas.
The aim of the F1® Connectivity Innovation Prize is to inspire fans worldwide to harness their technical know-how and passion for F1® racing to drive innovation in the sport. This year’s prize, which involved two challenges set by Formula One Management and the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team, called for F1® fans to explore ideas about how virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) could enhance the Formula 1® experience for fans and help the teams work more effectively together in the run-up to and during each Grand PrixTM. Lewis Hamilton said, “It is great to be a part of the F1® Connectivity Innovation Prize and to see first-hand fans become part of the F1® action in real time, in addition to watching it on their TV or phone. The winning solution from Datu YogaBrata gives us a glimpse of what the future of F1® could look like – and how we will be able to share so much more of our race weekend at the track with people at home. I would love it as a fan!” Datu YogaBrata’s idea is a live, 360-degree virtual trackside experience that transports fans to the exhilarating world of a Grand PrixTM. The ultra-immersive VR application is enabled by a group of roaming commentators with wearable cameras, capturing the excitement of the trackside to make fans thousands of miles away feel like they are part of the action. The application also harnesses AR, encouraging fans to collect ‘hidden stars’ at the trackside, and enabling them to seamlessly glean additional insights on their favourite driver, team car, or anything else they see around them in the virtual Grand PrixTM environment. Datu YogaBrata said, “There’s no bigger or more powerful showcase for technological innovation than F1®, and VR and AR will push the excitement of the sport even further. My idea aims to capitalise on that by bringing fans closer to the exciting world of F1® than ever before. I’m thrilled that the judges saw the potential of my virtual trackside experience for fans.” Julie Woods-Moss, Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer, Tata Communications, said, “We created the F1®Connectivity Innovation Prize to show the immense potential of virtual reality and other technology advancements to transform the sporting experience. These disruptive ideas from fans that are powered by data and superfast connectivity continue to inspire and excite us for the future of F1®.” Datu YogaBrata beat stiff competition from five other finalists. The winner and five runners-up won VIP trips to the 2016 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX. Read more about them on the prize website. The victory sees Datu YogaBrata join 2015 winner Paul Clarke and 2014’s winning team of Jody Allen, Tom Williams, Chris Randall and Chris Belmore in the hall of fame of the F1® Connectivity Innovation Prize. In the last three seasons, more than 200,000 fans have engaged in the competition through its website, with ideas submitted from 17 countries. The judging panel consisted of drivers and F1® technologists including John Morrison, Chief Technical Officer of Formula One Management; Lewis Hamilton, MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team race driver; Paddy Lowe, Executive Director (Technical) of the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team; David Coulthard, former F1® race driver and F1® commentator; and Martin Brundle, former F1® race driver and F1® commentator. They were joined by Mehul Kapadia, Managing Director of F1® Business at Tata Communications. Tata Communications is the Official Connectivity Provider to Formula 1®, enabling the sport to seamlessly reach its tens of millions of fans across the globe. As the Official Managed Connectivity Supplier to the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ Team, Tata Communications has trebled the speed of data transfer for the team, enabling real-time communications between the trackside and the team’s factory in the UK. It has also enabled remote operations on a large scale by providing a resilient, intelligent infrastructure for high-speed connectivity. Twitter hashtag: #tatacommsf1prize Ends… |
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About Tata CommunicationsTata Communications Limited (CIN no: L64200MH1986PLC039266) along with its subsidiaries (Tata Communications) is a leading global provider of A New World of Communications™. With a leadership position in emerging markets, Tata Communications leverages its advanced solutions capabilities and domain expertise across its global and pan-India network to deliver managed solutions to multi-national enterprises, service providers and Indian consumers. The Tata Communications global network includes one of the most advanced and largest submarine cable networks and a Tier-1 IP network with connectivity to over 240 countries and territories across 400 PoPs, as well as nearly 1 million square feet of data centre and collocation space worldwide. Tata Communications’ depth and breadth of reach in emerging markets includes leadership in Indian enterprise data services and leadership in global international voice. Tata Communications Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India. http://www.tatacommunications.com Forward-looking and cautionary statementsCertain words and statements in this release concerning Tata Communications and its prospects, and other statements, including those relating to Tata Communications’ expected financial position, business strategy, the future development of Tata Communications’ operations, and the general economy in India, are forward-looking statements. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including financial, regulatory and environmental, as well as those relating to industry growth and trend projections, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of Tata Communications, or industry results, to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from such forward-looking statements include, among others, failure to increase the volume of traffic on Tata Communications’ network; failure to develop new products and services that meet customer demands and generate acceptable margins; failure to successfully complete commercial testing of new technology and information systems to support new products and services, including voice transmission services; failure to stabilize or reduce the rate of price compression on certain of the company’s communications services; failure to integrate strategic acquisitions and changes in government policies or regulations of India and, in particular, changes relating to the administration of Tata Communications’ industry; and, in general, the economic, business and credit conditions in India. Additional factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from such forward-looking statements, many of which are not in Tata Communications’ control, include, but are not limited to, those risk factors discussed in Tata Communications Limited’s Annual Reports. The Annual Reports of Tata Communications Limited are available at www.tatacommunications.com. Tata Communications is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements. |
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