AI-powered sports centre Airena hopes to use technology to help young basketballers grow
Russel Low, head coach of Project 95 Basketball Academy, making a slam dunk at the grand opening of Airena, an AI-powered sports centre, at Jalan Ampas. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
SINGAPORE – With 10 cameras pointing at its basketball court at all times, newly opened sports centre Airena is equipped to capture movement data, which is used to analyse players' performance during training and matches.
The facility, which is located at Jalan Ampas off Balestier Road, officially opened on May 10, when guests were shown how artificial intelligence (AI) converts the data and gives coaches reports of their players, which can be viewed via an app.
Boasting smart tracking technology by Chinese company Qiuxiu, it offers real-time analytics in metrics such as strength, speed and reaction time.
Former Singapore Slinger Mitchell Folkoff, who is head coach of Project 95 Basketball Academy, speaking at the grand opening of Airena sports centre on May 10.
ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Airena, which also has a gym, is also home of the Project 95 (P95) Basketball Academy, whose coaches are former national basketballers such as Mitchell Folkoff and Russel Low.
Speaking to the Sunday Times on the sidelines of the launch, Folkoff believes this AI-driven approach will help them take coaching to another level.
He said: 'How do you evaluate a player? There's no data to back up, like, what he's doing great, what he's not so good at… You only can see it through your set of eyes.
'And I think for us to take coaching to the next level, to catch up with the rest of the world, we have to implement all the analytics into our training, tracking, learning progression, and then into the games.
'What we're trying to do is to optimise how we can utilise this technology and help kids grow from it. And I think it's a great thing because it gives us something that's tangible, because basketball is transitioning to a very data-centric sport.'
With the usage of AI technology alongside conventional training, Folkoff is able to gain a deeper understanding of his players' condition and progress.
The real-time feedback has been useful for Kaiser Ng, whose sons, aged nine and 13, are enrolled with the P95 academy.
'As a parent, I like that P95 uses the AI capability at Airena to enhance the training programme by providing timely and objective feedback, and making the training more personalised,' said Ng.
'I believe it will accelerate skill development, and make learning the game more engaging and measurable.
'We are still learning how to take advantage of the AI technology that is available to us through the app and I hope our boys can use it to help them adjust the arc of their shots and to utilise their left hand more for dribbling and lay-ups.'
The Shootz app by Qiuxiu, an AI app that tracks athletes stats via the 10 cameras on court.
ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Folkoff added that the AI is able to track statistics such as hit percentage, angle of shot trajectory, missed and made baskets, but added that it is still a language learning model.
Statistics may show that a player is leaning one way more than the other and the AI might suggest that they are more prone to injuries.
He added: 'The more data it collects, the more it can fine-tune the statistics and it will start to improve on the quality of the movement after it gets (the data) back.
'(We have received) pretty positive feedback on the AI aspect of training, because everyone loves videos, they love watching highlights and seeing analytics.
'The parents are actually quite futuristic with regards to the whole AI and how it can help develop their kids. We're living in a time where stats is a huge thing for kids, for parents… It's all about statistics.'
Alan Lim, director of Airena and P95 said: 'The basic step now is still visualisation and the kids see their own mistakes. That's where they improve a lot, and their general interests also spike up because they see themselves in action.
'AI data comes when you want to drive a point. Of course, traditional coaching means that moral values are already part of it.
'Airena is our first physical location. It's a showroom of top-tier technology and we're trying to build multiple locations such as this, to just grow the concept of what Airena is like and the ability to provide many aspects to basketball training.'
Melvyn Teoh is a sports journalist at The Straits Times.
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Times
an hour ago
- Business Times
Tencent said to study deal for US$15 billion game developer Nexon
[BEIJING] Tencent Holdings is studying a potential deal for Nexon, as the Chinese Internet giant looks for ways to bolster its lucrative gaming operations, people with knowledge of the matter said. Shenzhen-based Tencent has reached out to the family of Nexon's late founder Kim Jung-ju to discuss the possibility of an acquisition, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private. Kim's family has been speaking to advisers and evaluating options, according to the people. Kim's relatives hold their stake through family investment firm NXC Corp, which – together with affiliated unit NXMH BV – owned 44.4 per cent of Nexon as of June 30, according to Nexon's interim report. Kim's wife and daughters own about 67.6 per cent of NXC. It's unclear how receptive NXC is to a sale of the Nexon holding, and there's no certainty Tencent's deliberations will lead to a transaction, the people said. The structure of any deal hasn't been finalised, they added. A representative for Tencent didn't respond to a request seeking comment, while Nexon and NXC declined to comment. The move comes as Tencent, which already pursued an acquisition of Nexon in 2019, makes fresh forays into other South Korean assets. A subsidiary agreed to buy a nearly 10 per cent stake in Seoul-based music producer SM Entertainment in late May, just as an unofficial ban on K-pop in mainland China wanes. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Known for role-playing games like MapleStory, Nexon was founded in South Korea in 1994 and listed in Japan in 2011, in one of the biggest tech-related initial public offerings at the time. Nexon shares have climbed more than 10 per cent in Tokyo trading this year, giving the company a market value of about $15 billion. Changes in the shareholding structure after Kim's death in 2022 could complicate any deal. Family members handed the Korean government a stake in the NXC holding company in 2023 to settle an inheritance tax bill. Kim's wife and two daughters inherited his stake in NXC after he died in Hawaii. The family also sold treasury shares in NXC back to the holding company for US$478 million in August. The Korean government has sought to sell its holding but failed to find a suitor, local media reported. Shares of rival game developers like Ubisoft Entertainment, GungHo Online Entertainment and Sega Sammy Holdings have declined this year. While Nexon shares are up in 2025, they're nearly 30 per cent off a peak in 2021. NXC explored a sale of its Nexon stake six years ago, attracting interest from Tencent as well as buyout firms such as KKR & Co. and Hillhouse. The sale process was eventually shelved because of a failure to agree on price, Bloomberg News reported at the time. Nexon and Tencent have already worked together, developing Dungeon & Fighter, a key revenue generator. In March, Tencent agreed to invest US$1.3 billion for a 25 per cent stake in a new Ubisoft unit that holds the rights to intellectual properties including Assassin's Creed. Nexon's first-quarter net sales totalled about 114 billion yen (S$1.01 billion), while net income was 26 billion yen. BLOOMBERG
Business Times
5 hours ago
- Business Times
China stocks soar on AI, US-China trade hopes. Who are the country's ‘Terrific Ten' firms?
[SINGAPORE] Chinese stocks have see-sawed since late last year, as investors reacted to factors ranging from government stimulus, artificial intelligence and Trump tariffs. The Asian giant's companies had experienced a lengthy bear market in the last few years, with investors flocking to US markets. Last October, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index also plummeted sharply after investors' hopes of a long-awaited rebound were left wanting following a disappointing stimulus announcement from Beijing in October. In the second quarter of 2025, the script flipped. While the US faces renewed trade uncertainty and market volatility over tariffs, Chinese equities are staging a resurgence, led by what some analysts are now calling the 'Terrific Ten': tech and consumer giants listed mostly in Hong Kong, who are witnessing a revival in investor sentiment. The conclusion of consensus on a trade framework between the US and China this week also gave a boost to Chinese stocks, although some gains were pared after US President Donald Trump said he would unveil unilateral tariff rates within two weeks. The S&P 500, much of it driven by the 'Magnificent Seven' technology giants, has risen just over 2 per cent year-to-date. On the other hand, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Tech Index, which tracks the 30 largest technology companies listed in Hong Kong (including seven of the Terrific Ten) has surged around 24 per cent in the same period. In the last couple of months, global banks HSBC, Morgan Stanley, Citibank and Goldman Sachs all upgraded Chinese equities to overweight, many citing attractive valuations among technology stocks and strategic government support for the tech sector. Much of the rally's momentum has also been carried by artificial intelligence-led optimism, reminiscent of the artificial intelligence (AI)-boom in 2024 that led to the strong performance of the Magnificent Seven stocks. To some, China's technological potential is no longer perceived as merely capitalising on 'one to n' capabilities – i.e. reproducing existing innovations at scale – but has showcased its capabilities to create 'zero to one' innovation from the ground up. 'DeepSeek's advancements underscore the immense potential of China's AI ecosystem,' said Terence Lim, equities portfolio manager at Eastspring Investments Singapore in a report. 'Many companies are not only innovating rapidly but also trading at much more attractive valuations compared to their US counterparts.' Morgan Stanley upgraded its outlook on China to overweight, based on earnings beat for MSCI China companies after four straight years of quarterly misses. While the fallout from Trump's latest tariffs is likely to quell global growth significantly, strong corporate earnings may mean that the 'Terrific Ten' remain resilient in the coming months. We bucket the Ten into three categories – internet giants, e-commerce and consumer goods, and electric vehicles – and discuss upcoming trends to watch. Internet giants: Tencent, NetEase, Baidu, SMIC China's internet tech companies have moved quickly to capitalise on the 'DeepSeek effect'. Tencent, for instance, has incorporated DeepSeek's R1 model into its 'AI Search' functions within Weixin, as well as rolling out an upgraded iteration of its proprietary Hunyuan T1 model. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up The digital ecosystem giant, which operates WeChat and its mainland equivalent Weixin, has seen its share price surge 24 per cent since the beginning of the year. Also in this bucket is China's largest semiconductor foundry SMIC, which has surged nearly 40 per cent year-to-date, driven by the AI hype and a government push for self-sufficiency in chip production. However, potential chip tariffs from the US may slow its runaway share price. Others include gaming operator NetEase, and the search engine provider Baidu, both of whom have yet to truly achieve lasting growth through AI adoption. While each has expanded into adjacent areas – music streaming in NetEase's case, and autonomous driving for Baidu – neither has managed to step out from the shadow of dominant rivals like Tencent and Alibaba. Yet, relatively cheap earnings multiples compared to China's other tech giants may support their bull cases. E-commerce and consumer goods: Alibaba, JD, Meituan, Xiaomi Standing tallest among the AI-driven resurgence of Chinese stocks is Alibaba, the e-commerce giant founded by Jack Ma. In addition to its main e-commerce platforms Taobao and Tmall, Alibaba has emerged as a leader in the cloud computing space. Its Nasdaq-listed shares have soared on the company's commitments to boost AI spending and the unveiling of its open-source AI model Qwen 2.5 in early March. Analysts also see the company as having quietly buried the hatchet with Beijing after regulatory crackdowns since 2020, aligning with broader state efforts to stimulate domestic consumption. Meituan, however, has analysts feeling mixed. The food delivery giant has seen strong fundamental growth in the past year, with total revenue growing 22 per cent to 338 billion yuan (S$60.3 billion). Yet the stock has lost around 4 per cent year-to-date, underperforming the 24 per cent rise in the Hang Seng Tech Index over the same period. Still, planned expansions of its overseas meal delivery service Keeta in the Middle East and Hong Kong, as well as plans to integrate AI into its work processes, could see the Hong Kong-listed stock rebound. Xiaomi, meanwhile, has drawn attention with a 90 per cent earnings growth in Q4 2024, its fastest since 2021. The smartphone maker has been actively repositioning itself as a broader Internet of Things ecosystem player, with growing bets on smart devices and AI integration. But it is the company's aggressive push into electric vehicles (EVs) that has sparked the most interest. Electric Vehicles: BYD, Geely, Xiaomi China's EV crown remains with BYD, the Warren Buffett-backed automaker that is quickly emerging as a global competitor to market leader Tesla. The company sold over four million new energy vehicles in 2024, overtaking Tesla in global EV sales revenue. BYD has ramped up AI-assisted driving features and continues to expand overseas into Europe, Southeast Asia and South America. Trailing BYD's market dominance is a crowded pool of automakers competing for second place, including Geely and the aforementioned Xiaomi. Geely sold a respectable 2.18 million vehicles in 2024, pushing sales revenue up 34 per cent from the previous year and beating profit estimates. Meanwhile, Xiaomi's US$5.5 billion fundraising in March for EV investments has cemented its commitment to take on BYD and Tesla in the EV game. The company plans to open its second EV factory in Beijing in mid-2025, raising its sales target to 350,000 vehicles in 2025. Caution beneath the hype However, continued strong performance of Chinese tech stocks is not a given. While the 'Terrific Ten' may reflect genuine innovation and recovery – especially in AI, EVs, and digital platforms – confidence in a sustained turnaround hinges on policy clarity and macro stability. Morgan Stanley chief China economist Robin Xing said that recent memories of regulatory crackdowns, structural deleveraging and deflationary pressures have left a deep imprint on investors, while recent tariffs may cause further downside for Chinese equities. The tariffs may prompt Beijing to accelerate its planned RMB 2 trillion yuan stimulus package sooner than expected. 'That said, this may only partly offset the tariff shock,' Xing noted.
Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Straits Times
Why China biotech is getting a DeepSeek moment too
Workers working at a Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine production line in Beijing in 2021. So far, the biotech industry is relatively insulated from Mr Trump's tariffs. PHOTO: XINHUA From artificial intelligence to military defence, China has offered a few DeepSeek moments in 2025 , showcasing that the country is more than just the world's biggest factory, and that it also can compete with the US on the technology front. Now biotech is having its own. In late May, Pfizer agreed to pay a record US$1.25 billion (S$1.6 billion) upfront to license an experimental cancer drug from Shenyang-based 3SBio, as well as making a US$100 million equity investment in the Hong Kong-listed biotech company. Two weeks later, Bristol Myers Squibb said it would pay BioNTech US$1.5 billion guaranteed to license a similar cancer asset. It was a win for BioNTech, which bought Biotheus, the Chinese company that developed the drug, late in 2024 for US$800 million. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
