Yamaha Tested its Remote Cheering System

Yamaha conducted a field test of its "Remote Cheerer powered by SoundUD" system at Shizuoka Stadium ECOPA. App allows users to send audio sounds such as cheering and applause to stadiums.

Cheering for players is an essential part of sports, and passionate screams of fans inspire players and even affect their performance on the field. However, with the current spread of COVID-19, many sporting events around the world have been subjected to heavy restrictions or even suspended. In response to the current situation, Yamaha collaborated with two top professional football clubs in Japan and used a large stadium which seats 50,000 to conduct a field test of a new system.

By just tapping buttons on a smartphone application, cheering is delivered via speakers placed around the venue, and viewers can choose the area from which their audio is delivered. This allows users to send their support as if they were right there in the stands behind the goal. While the system has potential applications for a variety of situations, testing was done with spectatorless matches in mind. System usability was tested by placing a total of 58 speaker units around the stadium and having users in multiple remote locations use smartphones to send cheers, applause, booing, etc., in addition to clapping along with club chants.