Toyota and Panasonic will showcase assistive robotics during the Tokyo Summer Olympics

Next year, the world’s top athletes will compete in the Tokyo Summer Games. Some of Japan’s biggest companies will also happily be using the opportunity to show off their latest technologies — namely a fleet of robotics aimed at helping human spectators navigate around the event. Officials behind the games showcased some of the technologies […]

View More Toyota and Panasonic will showcase assistive robotics during the Tokyo Summer Olympics

IOC uses silly excuse that esports are too violent for the Olympics

TwitterFacebook

It looks like violence in video games is still the big hurdle to bringing esports to the Olympics.

In a wide-ranging interview with the Associated Press at the Asian Games over the weekend, where esports was being held as an exhibition event, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach downplayed any hopes of bringing esports to the Olympics.

“We cannot have in the Olympic program a game which is promoting violence or discrimination. So-called killer games. They, from our point of view, are contradictory to the Olympic values and cannot therefore be accepted,” Bach said. Read more…

More about Olympics, Esports, Thomas Bach, Entertainment, and Gaming

View More IOC uses silly excuse that esports are too violent for the Olympics

Tokyo 2020 will be the first Olympic Games to use facial recognition

TwitterFacebook

The 2018 Winter Olympics had quite the tech spectacle with 1,200 Intel drones producing a memorable light show. However, it’s likely the 2020 Tokyo Olympics won’t make as big a deal for a new technological feat: widespread facial recognition for increased security.

No, this isn’t some science-fiction dystopian future. Select attendees of the games — including athletes, media, staff, and volunteers — will have their identities verified via a face scan to enter venues, the Tokyo Organizing Committee said in an announcement. This extra level of security will be at all of the Tokyo 2020 games as well as the Paralympic Games — a first for both. Read more…

More about Olympics, Facial Recognition, Olympic Games, Tech, and Innovations

View More Tokyo 2020 will be the first Olympic Games to use facial recognition

Aly Raisman says blaming leotards for sexual abuse is victim-shaming

TwitterFacebook

Aly Raisman is tired of victim-shaming over clothing choices. 

The U.S. Olympic gymnast tweeted on Sunday that “Leotards r not the problem,” calling out critics of the gymnastics uniform for victim-shaming and “implying survivors should feel it’s their fault.” 

Raisman, an outspoken activist for survivors of sexual assault, also called out enablers of abuse against children and young people, saying, “The real problem is the pedophiles out there and the adults who enable them.”

I was recently asked if gymnasts should continue wearing leotards. Leotards r not the problem. The problem is the many pedophiles out there & the adults who enable them. By saying clothing is part of the issue, u are victim shaming/implying survivors should feel it’s their fault.

— Alexandra Raisman (@Aly_Raisman) March 25, 2018 Read more…

More about Olympics, Sexual Assault, Sexual Abuse, Aly Raisman, and Usa Gymnastics

View More Aly Raisman says blaming leotards for sexual abuse is victim-shaming

Aly Raisman sues U.S. Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics for how they dealt with Nassar abuse

Aly Raisman, Olympic gold medalist and role model empowering women to speak out against harassment, is suing the United States Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics for lack of action taken against former team physician Larry Nassar.
After Raisman and…

View More Aly Raisman sues U.S. Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics for how they dealt with Nassar abuse

Tokyo 2020 Olympics mascot designs are revealed and they are cute as heck

TwitterFacebook

Good news for Olympic mascots fans and those already going through Olympics withdrawal: the official mascot designs for the Tokyo 2020 Games have been unveiled!

It’s official! Design Set A has been chosen – we have our #Tokyo2020 Games mascots! #2020Mascot pic.twitter.com/wzJ7eyTgn3

— Tokyo 2020 (@Tokyo2020) February 28, 2018

There were three mascots in the running and the final decision was chosen by 205,000 elementary school students across Japan. 

Of these three, the one at far left (blue and white) has been chosen as the official mascot for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. As of yet unnamed, the mascot has “a strong sense of justice and is very athletic” and “has a special power allowing it to move anywhere instantaneously.” pic.twitter.com/jq94nvEiZD

— Ryan W. Mead (@rwmead) February 28, 2018 Read more…

More about Olympics, Tokyo, Anime, Mascots, and Culture

View More Tokyo 2020 Olympics mascot designs are revealed and they are cute as heck

U.S. Olympian Gus Kenworthy questions Ivanka Trump’s closing ceremony appearance

TwitterFacebook

Ivanka Trump’s appearance at the Winter Olympics has ruffled a few feathers — especially those of U.S. Olympic freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy.

On Sunday, the Team USA athlete delivered a bewildered tweet about Trump’s appearance at the closing ceremony in Pyeongchang.

“Everybody here has worked so hard to make it to the Olympics and have the opportunity to walk in the closing ceremony! Well… Everyone except Ivanka. Honestly, tf is she doing here??” he tweeted.

So proud of all these people! Everybody here has worked so hard to make it to the Olympics and have the opportunity to walk in the closing ceremony! Well… Everyone except Ivanka. Honestly, tf is she doing here?? pic.twitter.com/sfJKi0VTDb

— Gus Kenworthy (@guskenworthy) February 25, 2018 Read more…

More about Olympics, Ivanka Trump, Winter Olympics, Winter Olympics 2018, and Gus Kenworthy

View More U.S. Olympian Gus Kenworthy questions Ivanka Trump’s closing ceremony appearance