UNC Grad Leads NBC's Biometric Olympic Coverage in Milan

Jackson Jones brings a human element to the Winter Games broadcast through heart rate monitoring of spectators.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill alum Jackson Jones is leading a biometrics initiative for NBC's coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy. Jones, a 6-year employee at Sports Media Technology, has deployed 27 heart rate monitoring kits across select Olympic venues to capture the emotional reactions of spectators watching events like figure skating, curling, and alpine skiing. The biometric data is then integrated into NBC's broadcast, providing viewers with a more intimate look at the human experience behind the athletes' performances.

Why it matters

Biometric data and its integration into sports broadcasts is a growing trend, allowing viewers to connect more deeply with the emotional stakes and personal stories behind elite athletic competition. Jones' work at the Winter Olympics brings this technology to a larger scale, providing a more immersive viewing experience that goes beyond just the performance metrics.

The details

Jones, who graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2018, is responsible for setting up and maintaining the 27 heart rate monitoring kits positioned across select Olympic venues in Milan. The kits use wristwatch-style monitors that connect to Android phones via Bluetooth, transmitting heart rate data every second to a cloud server. Graphics machines in Samford, Connecticut then pull the data to display live heart rate information during NBC's broadcast. Jones worked with NBC Sports to design updated graphics and adjust software based on lessons learned from the smaller-scale biometrics program used at the Paris Olympics.

  • Jones has been in Milan for about a week and will remain for the full stretch of the Olympics, which run from February 6 to February 22, 2026.
  • The biometrics program was first tested on a smaller scale at the 2024 Paris Olympics, using only 5 heart rate monitoring kits.

The players

Jackson Jones

A University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill alum and 6-year employee at Sports Media Technology, Jones is leading the biometrics initiative for NBC's coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.

Sports Media Technology

A company based in Durham, North Carolina that provides data services, software development, and hardware solutions for major television network sports broadcasters and sports leagues.

NBC Sports

The division of NBC that is responsible for the network's sports coverage, including the broadcast of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.

Omega Timing

The official timing provider for the Olympic Games, whose data feeds are integrated into NBC's broadcast by Sports Media Technology.

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What they’re saying

“For competing athletes, the Olympics are even more so driven by friends and family and coaches. It's very difficult to do that without a strong support system… so to see the raw emotion of a parent, of a coach, of a sibling who's watching someone who's been competing in their sport for a long time do so at the highest level really adds a more human element to the broadcast.”

— Jackson Jones (witn.com)

What’s next

Jones will continue to provide on-site support and remote assistance to ensure the biometrics program runs smoothly throughout the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.

The takeaway

By integrating biometric data from spectators into its Olympic broadcast, NBC is able to provide viewers with a more intimate and emotional connection to the human stories behind the athletic competition, going beyond just the performance metrics.