The next wave of live sports coverage is stepping directly inside the helmet. ORBI, a California-based sports tech company, is pairing a multi-camera football helmet with 5G connectivity to stream the action from a player’s point of view—live, in ultra-high definition, and ready for broadcast, streaming platforms, and VR headsets. It’s a timely play as leagues and networks chase younger viewers, fend off digital-first rivals, and search for new ways to keep fans engaged beyond the stadium.

From the Huddle to the Headset

ORBI’s helmet integrates six 360-degree cameras capable of capturing 8K video at 60 frames per second. The system is built for live transmission, pushing multiple feeds from the field to remote production where they can be stitched into immersive perspectives. Viewers can follow the game from the vantage point of a quarterback, linebacker, or receiver in real time—an experience tailor-made for interactive streams and virtual reality.

The platform supports simultaneous feeds from every player on the field, opening the door to interactive features like switching angles on the fly or spotlighting key matchups. Behind the scenes, AI blends the camera inputs into a cohesive, stabilized output that can be formatted for traditional broadcasts, mobile streaming, or fully immersive VR viewing.

5G at the Core

Delivering that many high-resolution streams without delay requires serious uplink capacity. ORBI’s system relies on a 5G data card from Telit Cinterion to handle the load inside pro football venues. In 5G mode, the module supports theoretical downlink speeds up to 5.5 Gbps and uplink up to 2.7 Gbps—headroom that helps maintain smooth, ultra-high-definition video during the most chaotic sequences of play. When 5G isn’t available, the setup can fall back to 4G LTE to keep the stream alive.

That blend of bandwidth and low latency targets a long-standing bottleneck in live production: getting pristine, reliable video out of the venue as the action unfolds. For broadcasters, it means fewer compromises on quality and more room to experiment with new, interactive formats.

Built to Travel Stadium to Stadium

The Telit module inside ORBI’s system is based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 5G Modem-RF System, with support for a wide range of sub-6 GHz bands and mmWave deployments using Qualcomm’s QTM525 and QTM527 antenna modules. In practice, that means production teams can adapt to different stadium infrastructures—near-field, indoor, or high-mount outdoor configurations—without redesigning hardware for each venue.

This standards-based approach reduces integration friction and accelerates rollout, a critical factor for broadcasters who need solutions that scale across multiple markets and network conditions.

Why It Matters for Broadcasters and Fans

Sports viewership is changing. Younger audiences are harder to reach with traditional linear broadcasts, while in-venue attendance ebbs and flows. To stand out, leagues and networks need experiences that feel native to the way fans consume content today: interactive, immediate, and personalized. Player-perspective coverage checks each of those boxes.

• Engagement: First-person angles immerse fans in the play, enhancing the drama around every snap.
• Interactivity: Switching between player feeds can become a signature feature for streaming platforms and second-screen apps.
• Monetization: New ad formats and premium subscriptions can attach to exclusive camera angles or VR-only views.
• Production agility: With AI-stitched output and 5G uplink, directors gain fresh storytelling tools without tearing up existing workflows.

Public demos at major tech showcases have already highlighted the system’s responsiveness over both 5G and Wi‑Fi, signaling that the tech is maturing from concept to broadcast-ready reality.

Beyond IoT: 5G as a Media Engine

For years, 5G has been pitched as the backbone of next-gen IoT. ORBI’s helmet cam is a clear example of 5G’s broader potential: real-time media applications that demand ultra-low latency and robust uplink, not just fast downloads. That’s especially potent for VR and AR, where motion-to-photon timing and image fidelity make or break immersion.

Today’s focus is pro football, but the same approach could extend to other sports and training contexts where perspective and proximity matter. As networks expand and latency shrinks, expect more experiments that put fans on the field, on the court, or even inside the pit lane.

The Bottom Line

ORBI’s 5G-powered, player-perspective system delivers something fans have wanted for years: to see the game the way athletes do. With a scalable hardware design, stadium-ready connectivity, and an AI-driven production pipeline, it gives broadcasters a new canvas for storytelling—and offers VR users a front-row seat that moves with the play. In a crowded media landscape, that kind of immersion isn’t just a novelty; it’s a strategy.