Peripheral Labs taps into self-driving car sensors to bring sports fans right into the game

Peripheral Labs, a Canadian startup founded in 2024 by Kelvin Cui and Mustafa Khan, is leveraging technology originally developed for self-driving cars to revolutionize sports viewing through volumetric video generation. This technology uses multiple cameras to capture 3D footage, allowing fans to watch plays from various angles and interact with the video in immersive ways, such as tracking specific players or freezing moments for detailed analysis. By applying robotics perception and 3D vision expertise from autonomous vehicle research, the company has reduced the number of required cameras from over 100 to as few as 32, significantly lowering costs and operational complexity for sports leagues and broadcasters. The platform also integrates biomechanical data by using sensor technology similar to that in driverless cars, enabling detailed analysis of player movements, such as joint flexion, which can assist coaches in improving player performance. Peripheral Labs aims to make this advanced technology affordable and scalable, targeting multi-year contracts with teams and broadcasters. The startup recently raised $3.6 million in seed funding