The beautiful game has come a long way—not only in tactics and player development but also in technology. Modern football increasingly relies on advanced systems for automation, safety, and decision-making. These systems, operating in real-time and under stringent reliability constraints, are often hidden from the public eye. However, they offer a fascinating use case for embedded real-time operating systems (RTOS) and safety-critical software.

From offside detection to goal-line technology, from player wearables to VAR systems, automation is transforming how the game is played, officiated, and analyzed. Companies like SYSGO, specializing in safety and security-critical environments, are uniquely positioned to support the high-integrity computing requirements behind these innovations.

In this article, we refer to football (also known as soccer in North America), the world’s most popular sport played with a round ball and 11 players per team. This article explores key technical terms and systems shaping football automation and how SYSGO’s technology—especially its PikeOS RTOS & Hypervisor—can support such demanding applications.

Key Technologies and Terms in Football Automation

Below is a non-exhaustive list of core technologies currently in use or under development in football automation:

1. Goal-Line Technology (GLT)

Definition: A system that determines whether the entire ball has crossed the goal line.

Implementation: Typically uses high-speed cameras and image-processing algorithms. Systems like Hawk-Eye or GoalControl compute the ball’s position with millimeter accuracy.

Relevance: This system must operate in real time with extremely low latency and high fault tolerance—ideal for certified real-time systems.

2. Video Assistant Referee (VAR)

Definition: A referee assistance system using video replays to review crucial decisions (e.g., red cards, penalties, offside).

Implementation: Requires reliable video streaming, frame synchronization, and secure data transmission between pitch-side cameras and control rooms.

Challenge: Systems must ensure data integrity, non-repudiation, and synchronization across multiple cameras—a strong case for partitioned, secure OS environments like PikeOS.

3. Offside Technology (Semi-Automated Offside Detection)

Definition: Uses AI and limb-tracking algorithms to automatically detect offside situations within seconds.

Implementation: Combines multiple tracking cameras, real-time 3D modeling, and AI inference.

Challenge: Requires deterministic computing with guaranteed response times—safety-certifiable RTOS platforms are ideal for this.

4. Electronic Performance & Tracking Systems (EPTS)

Definition: Wearables and camera systems used to monitor player speed, distance covered, biometric data, and positioning.

Application: Coaches and medical teams use this data for tactical analysis and injury prevention.

Data Handling Requirements:

• Edge processing
• Secure wireless transmission
• Time-series analytics
• Data fusion from multiple sensors

5. Smart Ball (Connected Ball Technology)

Definition: Balls embedded with inertial sensors (IMU) and UWB (Ultra-Wideband) chips to track position, rotation, and impact in real-time.

Use case: Used in tournaments like FIFA World Cup for exact ball position and kick-point analysis.

Relevance to SYSGO: The microcontroller inside the ball demands ultra-lightweight RTOS kernels with low power usage, real-time scheduling, and security isolation—core competencies of PikeOS microkernel design.

Special Use Case: Skycams – Safety-critical aerial Systems

One of the most visually stunning and technologically complex elements of modern sports broadcasting is the skycam — a robotic, cable-suspended camera system that moves in 3D space above the field to deliver dynamic aerial shots.

While skycams enhance fan experience, they also introduce real-time safety-critical constraints. If a failure occurs in the motor control, winch mechanism, or tether integrity, the consequences could be catastrophic — e.g., the camera or its components falling onto players or spectators. That’s why skycams must comply with functional safety standards (e.g. ISO 13849 or IEC 61508), requiring:

• Redundant cable systems
• Safe state fallback logic in case of control loss
• Real-time control software running on embedded safety-certified RTOS
• Deterministic fail-safe behavior for motor stop, clutch disengagement, or emergency descent

Technical Challenges and Embedded System Requirements

The increasing dependence on technology in professional football brings along stringent non-functional requirements, including:

Real-time performance: Hard real-time guarantees with response times in the sub-100ms range.

Security: Preventing tampering or hacking, particularly in referee-critical systems like VAR or GLT.

Safety & reliability: Systems must not fail, especially during high-stakes matches.

Isolation: Multiple functions (e.g., tracking, streaming, analytics) may need to run on the same hardware—requiring strict partitioning.

Advanced systems like these would benefit from PikeOS, SYSGO’s RTOS & hypervisor designed for safety and security-critical applications. PikeOS allows mixed-criticality partitioning, meaning safety functions can run alongside non-critical ones on the same hardware — fully isolated and certifiable up to the highest levels.

Where SYSGO's Technology fits in

PikeOS RTOS & Hypervisor

SYSGO’s PikeOS is a real-time operating system with an integrated hypervisor, certified according to standards like DO-178C, IEC 61508, and ISO 26262.

In football use cases, PikeOS can enable:

• Secure camera coordination for VAR or GLT
• Certified sensor platforms for wearables or smart balls
• AI inference on edge for offside detection
• Multilevel security partitioning on shared hardware (e.g., stadium servers, referee tablets)

ELinOS (Embedded Industrial Linux)

For non-critical components, SYSGO’s ELinOS offers an industrial-grade Linux distribution suitable for:

• Video replay interfaces
• Data analytics dashboards
• Cloud interfaces and team management apps

Combined with PikeOS, ELinOS can run in mixed-criticality environments, enabling full-stack solutions within stadium infrastructure or wearable edge devices.

Examples of Football Tech in Action

FIFA World Cup 2022: Introduced connected ball technology and semi-automated offside detection. Real-time processing and precise synchronization were crucial—applications that demand embedded safety and edge AI.

Bundesliga (German National League): Uses advanced EPTS wearables integrated into players' jerseys, requiring reliable wireless telemetry and secure processing pipelines.

UEFA VAR systems: Depend on low-latency, tamper-proof video systems—a candidate for secure embedded Linux or virtualized applications under PikeOS.

Outlook: The Future of Embedded Automation in Sports

The football pitch of tomorrow will be a network of smart systems—from autonomous camera drones to AI-based tactical coaches. This shift demands embedded solutions that are:

• Certifiable
• Deterministic
• Secure-by-design
• Flexible enough to host AI, vision, and analytics workloads simultaneously

Future developments may include:

• Autonomous referee drones
• Neural network–driven tactical suggestions
• Edge-based fan personalization systems
• More integrated stadium-wide safety monitoring using AI and IoT

As football evolves into a cyber-physical system, the demands for certifiable, secure, and real-time embedded platforms will only increase to support the next generation of sports technology. SYSGO is well-positioned to support this evolution. Whether in the ball, on the player's wrist, or within the referee's toolchain, trusted embedded platforms like PikeOS and ELinOS will be central to delivering the next generation of safe and automated sports technology.

Conclusion

Football is not only about passion—it’s increasingly about precision, fairness, and automation. As the game embraces technology, the need for real-time, secure, and certifiable embedded platforms will grow. From AI-driven refereeing to real-time player tracking, the demand for robust software foundations is clear.

SYSGO’s portfolio, including PikeOS and ELinOS, provides exactly the kind of high-assurance environment needed to support innovation in this fast-evolving field—proving that even in football, Safety and Security are the name of the game.