Thetechnology
used to make decisionson whether a ball is in
or out at Wimbledon is being challenged by Cardiff University
academics.
With the Wimbledon tennis tournament just weeks away, a team of
academics led by Harry Collins and Robert Evans have carried out
research that questions whether aids such as the Hawk-Eye system
can actually always be right.
The researchers claim devices could cause viewers to
overestimate the ability of any technological devices to resolve
disagreement among humans.
The paper,
entiled You cannot be serious! Public understanding of technology
with special reference to Hawk-Eye, also suggests that a more
detailed understanding of how the device works could play a vital
role in public education.
"Technologies such as Hawk-Eye are meant to relegate line-call
controversies to the past, however, our analysis has shown that
Hawk-Eye does not always get it right and should not be relied on
as the definitive decision-maker," said Collins.
Neither do humans, according to John McEnroe, one of the greats
of world tennis who was feared by unpires all over the world for
his on-court
tantrums.