As the summer transfer window draws to a close, football clubs globally are intensifying their efforts to find the next big talent. A groundbreaking app, developed with input from Kingston University, is now playing a crucial role in this talent search by utilizing artificial intelligence.
The app allows users to upload ability-based videos doing drills such as jumps, 10-meter sprints, stepovers, and press-ups to be evaluated by football clubs. Image Credit: matimix/Shutterstock.com
The aiScout app stands out as the first fully automated platform in the world that focuses on discovering and nurturing talent on a global scale. Developed by the award-winning AI company ai.io, the app was rigorously validated with the help of Kingston University’s sport and exercise science experts.
The app offers aspiring footballers worldwide the chance to be noticed by scouts and showcase their skills. Players can upload videos of themselves performing various drills, such as stepovers, push-ups, jumps, and 10-meter sprints. These videos are then analyzed using AI technology, which provides performance scores and feedback. If a player's performance meets the standards of professional clubs, they may be invited for in-person trials.
The AI technology embedded in the app assesses critical aspects of the players' abilities, including their reaction time, speed, balance, agility, and endurance. This data is stored within the app, making it accessible to professional scouts for further analysis and evaluation.
Senior lecturer in sports biomechanics, Dr. Simon Augustus, was consulted by ai.io to validate the data generated by the app. His role was to ensure that the AI accurately scored the drills, a crucial step before the results could be accredited by football's governing body, FIFA.
Two of our alumni work for ai.io, they reached out to us to carry out some testing. We used the hi-tech equipment in our labs, including force plates and timing gates, and also at our Tolworth Court sports ground. This allowed us to test all the drills, collect the data we needed, and analyze it to test the accuracy of the AI model.
Dr. Simon Augustus, Senior Lecturer, Kingston University
The app is currently in use by Premier League club Chelsea and Championship side Burnley, as well as teams in the United States' Major League Soccer. Its implementation has already resulted in several amateur footballers being offered trials with professional clubs.
Additionally, users can leverage the feedback provided by the app to refine and enhance their skills, helping them to develop and improve their game.
It is very inclusive – users just need a football and a smartphone or tablet. There have already been success stories from countries across Africa and in Sri Lanka and India, countries where there are significant barriers to being scouted due to travel costs and logistics.
Dr. Simon Augustus, Senior Lecturer, Kingston University
Dr. Simon Augustus and the rest of Kingston University’s sport and exercise team were brought on board by Dr. Chris Howe, a Kingston University alumnus who completed his undergraduate, postgraduate, and Ph.D. studies there.
Dr. Howe, who previously served as a senior technician in the Department of Sport and Exercise Physiology, now holds the position of Research and Innovation Lead at ai.io. He collaborates closely with fellow Kingston graduate Richard Felton-Thomas, who serves as Director of Sports Science and Chief Operating Officer at ai.io.
Dr. Howe highlighted that ai.io’s mission in developing the app closely aligns with Kingston University’s values and its focus on a skills-based approach to education.
We want to offer a level playing field for talent to be discovered regardless of who they are or where they are from. The sports and exercise science team have been great in utilizing their expertise to validate the data and validity of the technology so we can provide an efficient and useful tool to sportspeople worldwide maybe we will even see a player discovered via the app playing in the Premier League in the not-too-distant future.
Dr. Chris Howe, Senior Technician, Department of Sport and Exercise Physiology, Kingston University