Brain science tells us that VR could be a powerful tool for effective sports training

American football is extremely popular in the U.S. and continues to gain many fans on the international stage, yet the sport has been plagued by issues such as the high likelihood of incurring injuries and concussions.

Football players need to train to perform at their highest level, but this training needs to proceed with little, or no, physical contact. And this is especially true of the most important player on the field – the quarterback. As Ted Sundquist, former Air Force Academy player and coach, and 16-year veteran with the Denver Broncos know all too well:

“Quarterback play is the single biggest determinant for an NFL team of its win-loss record and for that reason NFL Teams invest heavily in that position. This season NFL teams are spending over $550 million on quarterback salaries,“ he says.

From observing the way that pilots trained in simulators, Ted realized that the only way to effectively train quarterbacks was also to put them in a fully immersive simulation
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Sundquist’s time in the college and pro game, combined with his background in the Air Force where he saw fighter pilots train daily in simulators, offered him a unique perspective on the problem of quarterback training. This experience led him to found Sports VTS (where he serves as CEO), a Sports Virtual Training System built upon proprietary technologies that take quarterback training beyond Virtual Reality (VR) into a fully immersive, “Simulation Reality.”

The player had to actively generate realistic quarterback behaviors. Simply observing a quarterback, even from a first-person VR perspective, was just not enough
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From observing the way that pilots trained in simulators, Ted realized that the only way to effectively train quarterbacks was also to put them in a fully immersive simulation, with a real football and helmet, room to run, and the ability to throw that ball from the real world right into the simulated virtual environment.

In other words, the player had to actively generate realistic quarterback behaviors. Simply observing a quarterback, even from a first-person VR perspective, was just not enough.

“The vision for Sports VTS came out of my efforts to solve that very real NFL problem. When you combine the most cutting-edge virtual reality training technology with the best practices in training quarterbacks you get our QBSIM platform, which allows you to train a quarterback in a game-like situation, without the risk of contact injury. We are the only system available that allows a QB to throw a real ball in a way that his ability to complete the pass in the virtual training environment is actually based on how accurately he throws the real football.”

QBSIM takes this training to the next level, however, by incorporating real game data into these simulations:

“The fundamental advancement of QBSIM is its proprietary process for combining years of real game data with the schemes, alignments and responsibilities of real offenses and defenses in a way that allows a QB to step into the simulator and actually practice game speed reps with a true sense of urgency,” Sundquist explains. “The quarterback has to read defenses, call audibles, avoid the rush and, most importantly, make the accurate throw. He can get hundreds of repetitions without tiring out receivers or needing to practice against a full defense. He can also practice as much as he wants without any risk of a contact injury.”

The key to training any motor or behavioral skill is to provide real-time corrective feedback to the learner immediately following the behavior
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From a brain science of learning perspective, this approach facilitates the development of muscle memory. The ability to take hundreds of reps with different offensive and defensive schemes, trains for both generalization and long-term retention. The key to training any motor or behavioral skill is to provide real-time corrective feedback to the learner immediately following the behavior. QBSIM does this by allowing the quarterback to practice the game at speed, reading the offense and defense, making a decision to throw, initiating the throw and receiving real-time feedback regarding accuracy of that throw, all in real-time.

From a brain science of learning perspective, this approach facilitates the development of muscle memory
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QSIM has the potential to democratize quarterback training by allowing non-starters to get the reps that they need to achieve greatness
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Since repetition is so crucial in the game, QSIM has the potential to democratize quarterback training by allowing non-starters to get the reps that they need to achieve greatness. Additionally, it would allow kids who are interested in the game, to gain valuable exposure and experience to facilitate an informed decision about whether they want to enter the sport.

Ultimately, QBSIM could also be used to assess talent. Once performance norms are developed, players can be rated objectively on their ability to read defenses, to call audibles, and to make the pressure-packed plays. All of this will be invaluable in informing teams’ decisions on who to recruit, draft or trade each season.

Although QBSIM can’t guarantee injury-free practices, it could reduce the likelihood of these occurring, and help prepare backups for prime time
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Although QBSIM can’t guarantee injury-free practices, it could reduce the likelihood of these occurring, and help prepare backups for prime time. And as Matt Barnett – Co-founder and COO at Sports VTS – point out, that preparedness could make a very big difference:

“The last thing any team wants is to experience what the Miami Dolphins have faced this season. First, they lose their starting QB, Ryan Tannehill and his $20 million salary to a season-ending injury suffered in practice. Then, because they are not comfortable that their backup QB has enough game experience, they entice Jay Cutler out of retirement for another $10 million. I call this the $30 million practice injury.”

Some of the earliest applications of VR have in fact been sports-related, including the Stanford University research that led to the launch of STRIVR
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Sundquist and his team are not the only ones who recognize the potential of VR to enhance performance and improve existing coaching methodologies. Some of the earliest applications of VR have in fact been sports-related, including the Stanford University research that led to the launch of STRIVR.

But while only time and additional performance testing will tell which are the best tools and methodologies in this emerging space, the results so far are highly encouraging, and there’s little doubt that sports coaching will continue to greatly benefit from advances in immersive technologies.

There’s little doubt that sports coaching will continue to greatly benefit from advances in immersive technologies.
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For companies looking to get into VR/AR/MR our Virtual Reality Consultancy services offer guidance on how these technologies can enhance and support your brand strategy.

Todd Maddox is Science, Sports and Training Correspondent at Tech Trends, and the CEO of Cognitive Design and Statistical Consulting. Follow him on Twitter @wtoddmaddox

The post Using Virtual Reality to Train NFL Players appeared first on Tech Trends.

You can now put on a selfie game face without dealing with all the messy greasepaint.

Face painting is part and parcel of sports culture, particularly in the US. But – excuse the pun – let’s face it: not everybody has the time, patience and tolerant skin complexion to achieve that perfect artistic look that will do justice to your team and your devotion to them.

Face painting is part and parcel of US sports culture
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NFL teams are offering their fans the chance to paint their faces with AR
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That’s where Augmented Reality comes in, as three NFL teams are now offering their fans the chance to paint their faces with AR. San Francisco-based digital agency Float Hybrid worked with sponsors Bud Light and select NFL teams to incorporate the feature into the apps.

AR uses facial detection to apply digital face paint masks in real time
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The feature uses facial detection to apply digital face paint masks in real time. Responsible for designing the various face paints, Float Hybrid studied countless images of fans across each participating team to understand which designs would resonate most with the local fans.

“We are hyper-focused on leveraging innovative technologies to create memorable moments that drive emotional connections with consumers,” says Keith Bendes, VP Marketing and Strategic Partnerships at Float Hybrid. “AR Face Paint capitalizes on some of the most beloved and fun trends in mobile to provide all fans, whether in the stadium or at home, a way to showcase and share their fandom.”

The functionality was developed by Pittsburgh company YinzCam, which has considerable sports app pedigree from building 24 NFL club apps as well as more than 100 apps for teams in the NBA, WNBA, MLS, NRL, AFL and CFL, as well as apps for leagues, venues and events like the Super Bowl XLIX.

The AR feature is incorporated into each team's official app
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The nice touch is that you don’t even need to download a separate app to try this new feature out. If you’re a fan of the Broncos 365, Eagles or Texans, you can apply different face paint designs and helmet filters, take selfies with them, and share these on social media, all from within each team’s official app. I have a feeling that if this proves popular you will soon see a lot more NFL teams joining the bandwagon too.

As the NFL and its sponsors look to connect with the younger generations, they recognize the fact they will need to provide experiences that tap into the technologies and devices they already use. “Phones have become the primary method of interaction,” says Ryan Mortimer, Director of Digital Innovation for Anheuser Busch, which owns the Bud Light brand. “The onus is on us as innovators to provide experiences that resonate with the way these fans communicate & participate. The augmented reality face painting feature does just that.”

Brady Kellogg, Senior VP of Corporate Partnerships at the Denver Broncos, says they’re always looking for ways to get fan more connected with new technologies to enhance their experience, and AR was a great way of achieving this. The Broncos were the first team in the NFL to introduce augmented reality face painting at the end of the 2016 season, and its success in driving fan engagement led the team to bring it back for the 2017 season.

“Fans are looking for fun, new ways to get involved with their favorite teams, and augmented reality allows us to provide a highly engaging, interactive fan experience,” Kellogg explains.

This is further proof that big brands are increasingly looking at integrating immersive technologies like Augmented Reality into their social strategies, and is another indication that AR is becoming serious business. But at the very least, any feel-good NFL story that doesn’t involve the White House has to be a good thing these days. You’re welcome.

Bud Light “Bullet Time” GIF Booth from Float on Vimeo.

This NFL App Lets Fans Paint Their Faces With AR via @alicebonasio https://t.co/MnkZtkWwCj pic.twitter.com/FSU25EjcoL

— VRScout (@VRScout) October 10, 2017

This article was originally published on VRScout

If you would like to find out how to leverage VR/AR/MR in your enterprise, Tech Trends offers Virtual Reality Consultancy support

Alice Bonasio is a VR Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio and @techtrends_tech on Twitter.

The post This NFL App Lets Fans Paint Their Faces With Augmented Reality appeared first on Tech Trends.