World's Most Advanced and Expensive SCRABBLE(TM) System Unveiled
Scrabble gets a technological makeover ahead of the Prague Mind Sports Festival
PLYMOUTH, England, November 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
Mind Sports (International) [http://bit.ly/ZldLsJ ], part of the Living it Loving it
Ltd. group of companies has given SCRABBLE(TM) a 21st Century makeover resulting in the
creation of arguably the most expensive and advanced tournament Scrabble system in the
world!
Set to be unveiled and used by participants at the eagerly anticipated Prague Mind
Sports Festival [http://bit.ly/XB1aT5 ] (December 1 - 4), the revolutionary Scrabble
system is a 'tech-lovers' dream and is the result of months and months of development and
testing.
Costing in excess of GBP20,000 to produce, the system utilises custom built RFID
technology in order to read the entire Scrabble board almost instantaneously (974
milliseconds), transmitting the information via unique software to viewers online.
"Our goal was to help bring popular Scrabble tournaments to life, whilst reaching a
wider audience by capturing tournament play in a technologically advanced and engaging
manner," explains Dave Brannan, CEO, Mind Sports (International) and Living it Loving it
Ltd.
"This allows us to broadcast Scrabble in all its glory, interacting with viewers that
share a passion for this iconic game and mind sports as a whole across the world."
The Scrabble board consists of nine RFID circuit boards that house 225 RFID antennas,
which read each individual Scrabble square. Each Scrabble letter tile has its own uniquely
identifiable RFID tag embedded within (100 in total), with an RFID circuit board enclosed
in each of the players tile racks to ensure that all information is captured and showcased
to the online viewers.
The tournament play software, created by leading UK developers The Site Doctor
[http://bit.ly/W582mp ], extracts the information collected via the RFID readers and
relays it on screen in an easy-to-follow, graphical display alongside the HD video footage
of each player. Coupled with the online streaming of the tournament; fans of Scrabble will
be able to easily track the action live as it unfolds from the venue - creating a front
seat atmosphere from the comfort of their own homes.
In addition to the technology integration, a great deal of work has also gone into the
aesthetics of the new Scrabble system. The board's turntable unit has a carbon fibre
finish and integrated RGB controlled LED lighting system in order to bring additional
style and complete customisation to the table - a design which has quickly become a focal
point of the festival following recent pictures being leaked via Twitter.
Whilst at the festival the new system will also receive in-depth review from some of
the biggest names in the industry. Attendance of current World Scrabble Champion, Nigel
Richards, has recently been confirmed as well as Canadian expert, John Chew, and Rachel
Riley from Channel 4's Countdown reporting from the event.
SCRABBLE(TM) and associated trademarks and trade dress are owned by, and used under
license from Mattel, Inc. SCRABBLE is a registered trademark of J.W. Spear & Sons Limited,
a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (c) 2012 Mattel, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
ABOUT MIND SPORTS (INTERNATIONAL) LTD.
Mind Sports International Ltd brings the world's most popular mind sports together, giving
leading brands and players across the globe the opportunity to take part in the very best
mind sports events and experiences. Official organizers of the Prague Mind Sports Festival
and other global events, Mind Sports (International) Ltd. bring fun and excitement to
millions of enthusiasts worldwide.
FESTIVAL DATES:
Mind Sports Festival: 1 December - 4 December 2012.
Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121115/574134 http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Mind Sports (International)
CONTACT: MEDIA CONTACTS: To request additional quotes, information and imagery, please contact: Peter Ramsay, +44(0)1752-231810, pramsay@livingitlovingit.com OR David Blinov, +44(0)1752-231810, dblinov@livingitlovingit.com