Category: This Week In VR Sport

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This Week in VR Sport: Atlanta Hawks Use Eye-Tracking and FC Barcelona Create AR Fan Experience

It’s cold, it’s wet and it’s Saturday – well here in the UK it is – so that means sitting on the sofa to spend all day watching your favourite sporting events. Or you would be if you weren’t more interested in the world of virtual reality (VR) and all the immersive goodness it has to offer. So its time for VRFocus’ weekly roundup of all things sport, VR and augmented reality (AR) technology related.

NBA Atlanta Hawks to Adopt SyncThink’s EYE-SYNC Technology

SyncThink, the specialist in eye-tracking analytics has announced that the Atlanta Hawks are adopting the SyncThink platform. The team will deploy the EYE-SYNC technology to be used by both performance and medical staff to monitor the players for the accumulation of fatigue during the season

“The Atlanta Hawks are an ideal collaboration for us in many ways,” SyncThink CCO Scott Anderson said in a statement. “As we partner with more cutting-edge organizations, we’re realizing they too have novel ideas about how they want to utilize and interpret the data they’re collecting, in an effort to better understand fatigue and the risks associated with poor visual attention. It’s very exciting to consider the possibilities.”

The Hawks join NBA Champions the Golden State Warriors in utilizing objective eye-tracking metrics to evaluate performance readiness and quantify the risk of injury to players with poor dynamic vision or those that sustain a visual impairment during the season.

EyeSync

Viber, Vivoom and Dugout Collaborate on AR Experiences for FC Barcelona Fans

Messaging app Vi9ber, in conjunction with Consumer Activation Platform Vivoom and online football media company Dugout have launched a new partnership to provide FC Barcelona fans with a unique AR video experience.

Fans will be able to create videos of themselves using Viber’s app to put them in a press conference with the media, using AR filters to make it look like they’re the next major signing. This is achieved by Viber integrating Vivoom into its FC Barcelona chatbot.

“Brands today are constantly seeking new ways of strengthening the relationship and engagement among their fans,” said Djamel Agaoua, CEO of Viber. “This partnership is a perfect example of how brands can leverage technology to deepen their interactions with their audiences. With this powerful combination, we can deliver inspiring user experiences for businesses around the globe.”

“For Vivoom, the partnership with Viber is a natural extension of the impact our platform is delivering to brands across the globe, as we have already seen with the upcoming FC Barcelona activation,” said Katherine Hays, CEO of Vivoom. “The combination of Viber’s reach, popularity and high level of security and Vivoom’s unique Consumer Activation technology and User-Generated Advertising platform open a myriad of possibilities for our companies, allowing each organisation to play to its strength while helping brands deepen their touch-points with their consumers in a way that delivers value versus detracts from the consumer experience.”

FC Barcelona

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This Week In VR Sport: VR Upgrades in NASCAR and AR Adverts in Baseball

Though the seasons are turning and the weather is developing a chill in the air for many, the sports season just keeps on rolling, complete with new developments that involve immersive technology.

This weekend’s edition sees FOX Sports issues some upgrades to one of its NASCAR Studios while YouTube sports broadcasting courts controversy with augmented reality advertising.

FOX Sports Upgrades Studio With AR and VR For NASCAR

Though the NASCAR season is currently on break, that hasn’t stopped sports channel FOX sports from giving its Charlotte studio a makeover in anticipation of the start of the new season in February 2019.

According to SportTechie, FOX have teamed with virtual reality (VR) production company Zero Density to bring new features that will make use of the studios large green screen area, which spans a fairly impressive 50ft x 47ft.

The new renovations means that studio analysts can trigger AR features on set using Blacktrax 3D tracking technology, which will make the studio look like a race track, or present the appearance of a virtual race car emerging through the set.

“Innovation and ‘what’s next’ thinking have defined the FOX Sports approach from Day 1,” said Mark Silverman, President, National Networks, FOX Sports in a press release. “Working with industry leaders and integrating cutting-edge technology has produced one of the most advanced studios in sports. We are extremely excited to show it off early next year as we get viewers ready for the 2019 Daytona 500 on FOX.”

YouTube TV Present AR Adverts on World Series

For the second year, YouTube TV will be working with Fox to show the World Series after signing an expanded two-year deal with Major League Baseball which would see YouTube TV present the World Series until 2019.

The deal is not without controversy, however, with not all fans and analysts agreeing with the advertising-supported service, which will feature in-game spots, traditional adverts as well as AR advertising.

Fox will insert AR ads for YouTube TV that will appear on-screen before the first pitch and around the seventh inning stretch. These adverts have been designed to appear to be broadcast from the stadium’s video screen.

“The first year was, OK, here’s what it is, and this year, we want to celebrate what it delivers, which is more of what you love,” said Angela Courtin, global head of entertainment, media and experience at YouTube marketing. “The idea of ‘ruining TV’ is one thing. We want to celebrate our subscribers and the power that sports and TV has to bring people together, to elevate mood and excitement and deepen love and engagement,” Courtin said.

Check back next week for some more VR and AR in sport.

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This Week In VR Sport: NBA and European Tour Golf Brings Sports into VR

It is the weekend, its also well in Autumn now, which means some sporting seasons are ending, while others are starting. As always, VRFocus brings you the latest on where sports and immersive technology intersect. This week sees golf and basketball bring the action into 360-degrees for fans to get a better view.

An Experiment With 8K 360-Degree Video For Golf

A proof-of-concept at the Sky Sports British Masters has demonstrated how 8K quality 360-degree video can be used to let fans of Golf follow their favourite players across the course.

The test was conducted by The European Tour and Tata Communications, which showed how fans could use a virtual reality (VR) headset to get a virtual tour of famous European Tour venues like Walton Heath or Valderrama.

“This proof-of-concept is part of our strategy to attract new fans to the sport by harnessing the latest digital technologies and introducing new, shorter and faster formats,” said Michael Cole, Chief Technology Officer, European Tour. “With Shotclock Masters, for example, players have just 40 or 50 seconds to play a shot. We’re also using more and more shot data to bring fans more engaging insights. We look forward to leveraging live 360° video in 8K to make each tournament more immersive for golf newbies and our core fan base.”

“Today’s sports fans are savvier than ever – they have an insatiable appetite for data and content that gives them deeper and higher quality viewing experiences,” said Mehul Kapadia, Global Head of Marketing, Tata Communications. “The adoption of the Video Assistant Referee at the recent FIFA World Cup is just one example of the transformational potential of digital technologies in global sports – which benefits the players, the fans and the entire sports ecosystem. In the same way, apps with live 360° video in 8K would redefine fan engagement in golf, and even have the potential to change how the sport is refereed.”

Oculus will Be Streaming NBA Games For Free

Fans of basketball have a chance to watch this season’s games in VR for free, thanks to efforts from Oculus and VR live-streaming service NextVR along with the Oculus Venues app.

Oculus Venues launched for Oculus Go and Samsung Gear VR earlier this year as a social VR app that lets users share a virtual space to take in live events such as sports games or music performances.

Watching NBA games online usually requires the purchase of an NBA League Pass, but watching through Oculus Venues is free, though users watching through the NextVR app will need to pay.

“Now in our third NBA season, we continue to evolve our VR broadcast to provide the highest quality, most immersive NBA experience in VR,” said NextVR CEO David Cole in a statement. “Every night of the NBA season, NextVR is providing fans worldwide with multiple live VR viewing options, coupled with free on-demand highlights.”

Check back next week for some more This Week In VR Sport.

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This Week In VR Sport: Ice Hockey, eSports Socials Spaces And Extreme Sports

Every weekend VRFocus brings you a number of sports and eSports related virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) stories as part of This Week In VR Sport. This week, Sense Arena is hoping to improve ice hockey training with a new VR solution, Sansar and Fnatic partner to bring eSports fans a VR hangout space, and extreme sports title Rush VR is making it’s way to PlayStation VR. 

Sense Arena
Image courtesy of Sense Arena

Sense Arena Brings VR To Ice Hockey Training

A new VR technology that aims to revolutionize ice hockey training has launched following a test earlier this year with the Boston Bruins and is being boosted by a minor investment from Burins’ right winger David Pastrňák.

As reported by sporttechie, The Czech Republic-based company, called Sense Arena, launched the earlier this week and has official partnerships with a number of organizations in its home country, including the Czech Ice Hockey Association, the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport of Charles University in Prague, and the professional hockey club White Tigers Liberec.

The platform provides users with access to more than 70 training drills which are all designed to help players improve their hockey skills, reaction times, cognitive ability, and many more by allowing them to quickly complete and redo the training thousands of times even when off the ice. The solution is using a HTC Vive headset along with specially-engineered hockey sticks with small sensors on them, a mobile computer kiosk, and four other sensors that are placed in the corners of a room to help the platform track all the action.

Sense Arena is hoping to not only provide current players and teams with a new training solution but also provide new players with an engaging way to speed up their learning. Thanks to the analytics and review side of things, it makes it easier for players to see what they are doing wrong and improve on those mistakes in no time. The end goal is to have the technology involved in some of the biggest hockey markets in the world, including the NHL.

As the technology continues to roll out and get adopted by more teams, VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest.

Fnatic's Meta Bunkr

Sansar And Fnatic Partner To Provide eSports Fans A Way To Meet Cyberathletes In VR

Esports organization Fnatic have announced that they will be collaborating with social VR firm Linden Lab’s Sansar so that fans can meet Fnatic eSport athletes in VR.

As reported by venturebeat earlier this week, Sansar is creating the social VR site Fnatic Meta Bunkr which will be a virtual fan hangout designed to enable deeper community engagement. The platform is free-to-access on both PC and VR and the space will provide Fnatic fans with a place to gather together and connect, host events and meetups, meet popular players and personalities, and earn rewards and prizes. Since founding in 2004, the eSports company has won thousands of tournaments across 20-plus games, the most of any organization, and its fan base numbers are in the tends of millions, according to the company, which need a place to connect.

“As a professional esports organisation, Fnatic continues to break the mould from a playing and fan perspective,” said Benoit Pagotto, marketing director at Fnatic: “Just last weekend we claimed our seventh European League Championship Series title in League of Legends, whilst this collaboration with Sansar is a sign of how we’re always looking to enhance the viewing experience we deliver to our growing community of fans worldwide. There’s no doubt that virtual reality within the world of esports is the future of the sport, so we’re incredibly excited to deliver an enhanced more engaging experience to our fans.”

This is not the first partnership that Sansar have set up for their social VR platform as in the past they have introduced it to the Overwatch eSports scene and Greenwall VR.

Rush VR

Experience The Ultimate Thrill As Rush VR Comes To PlayStation VR

Originally released onto the Oculus Rift earlier this year the team at The Binary Mill have revealed that their extreme sports title Rush VR is coming to PlayStation VR later this year. The title sees players put on a wing suit and take flight across snowy terrain in high speed races that see them descending down mountains avoiding cliff faces and trees while hitting the checkpoints.

It isn’t just snow that players will be flying pass as they will be traveling the world and experiencing the thrill of base jumping in rocky canyons, green forest and many more locations complete with a dynamic weather system and day/night cycles. With 90 tracks to master and a number of different game modes including Time Attack and Score Challenge players will need to get use to flying fast if they want to earn the biggest score and take home first place. If that wasn’t enough there are also online leaderboards that mean you can compete with your friends or go head-to-head in 12 player multiplayer matches.

There is no release date just yet for the PlayStation VR release of Rush VR but it is planned to be before the year is out. You can see the announcement trailer below and VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest on the release in he future.

That is all for This Week In VR Sport. For more on immersive sport news keep reading VRFocus and remember to check back next week for another This Week In VR Sport.
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This Week In VR Sport: NASCAR, Basketball and eSports

Every weekend VRFocus brings you a number of sports and eSports related virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) stories as part of This Week In VR Sport. This week, NASCAR have launched an AR experience to let fans enjoy some of the best moments from the NASCAR Playoffs, the Virtual Athletics League are planning more eSport tournaments and ePlay Digital release an update for Big Shot Basketball.

NASCAR

NASCAR Release New AR Experience For The 2018 NASCAR Playoffs

NASCAR fans are now able to immersive themselves in the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs thanks to a new AR experience that has been made available via the official NASCAR mobile app. As reported by Yahoo, the new NASCAR Playoffs AR Experience Refreshed by Coca-Cola allows users the change to walk through virtual portals to see the playoffs’ most memorable moments in full 360-degrees of immersion.

For the ten weeks that the NASCAR Playoffs are happening, fans with an AR compatible iOS or Android device will be able to download the NASCAR Mobile app and experience this new feature for themselves.

“NASCAR is always looking for unique ways to engage fans and bring them closer to the sport, especially during the most exciting time in our season,” said Tim Clark, NASCAR Digital Media vice president. “Together with Coca-Cola, we‘re inviting fans to step right into the NASCAR Playoffs and experience the action, pageantry and emotion like never before.”

Fans will place a 3D Coca-Cola can within their surrounding to create the superimposed portal into the NASCAR Playoffs experience. Once they walk through the portal, they will be able to experience the thrilling moments including team celebrations in Victory Lane and other memorable moments from throughout the years.

The NASCAS mobile app is available to download now on the Apple app store and the Google Play store.

Virtual Athletics League Season 1 Banner

Virtual Athletics League Planning More Global VR eSports Tournaments

Following a successful Beat Saber tournament earlier this year, the Virtual Athletics League (VAL), LIV and SpringboardVR have now announced a new global arcade league is being formed to provide further competitions. The news was revealed earlier this week and sees HP and HTC eSports along with seven VR development studios, including Survios, Vertigo Games and CloudGate Studio to see the new league come to life.

Thanks to the success of the Beat Saber tournament, which was originally placed for 50 locations but eventually took place in over 168 around the globe, the companies are planning to reproduce this achievement with several more events during 2018 and 2019.

The first of which took place last month with a global Space Pirate Trainer tournament which run between 27th-30th September. Global tournaments are planned to be held for Arizona Sunshine and Island 359 for Halloween followed by an event for the archery title QuiVR in November.

“The league is also placing a high priority on arcade vs. arcade gameplay, with a core group of elite VR arcades participating in more team-based titles that are VR esports ready. These official launch titles include the giant mech multiplayer shooter Archangel: Hellfire, a jet-propelled shooter Skyfront, and a tactical sci-fi shooter After-H.” Said Ryan Burningham of Virtual Athletics League in a blog post.

VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest on the tournaments in the future.

Big Shot AR

ePlay Digital Release New Update For Big Shot Basketball

Finally this week, ePlay Digital Inc have announced the release of new features for their Big Shot Basketball AR app. This includes new filters for users to use when taking AR selfies, which follows the draft of NBA players to Big Shot users’ rosters. Based on popular SnapChat filters, these new filters will also allow users to add information to their selfie such as the weather, location and NBA team information to personalize the experience. The new filters will be free to use for all players of the app.

The new update also brings compatibility with the recently released Apple iOS 12 and the latest version of ARKit 2.0. This sees advanced scene and pattern detection and improved rendering and lighting effects come to Big Shot Basketball. Users will also be able to purchase “swaps” now as well, which allow a user to exchange an NBA athlete discovered in AR with different athletes from different teams. There are two types of swaps – free and paid. One free swap is given to the player ever four hours with users able to purchase four swaps through the in-app purchase screen of the title at any time.

“We continue to update Big Shot Basketball based on feedback we receive through our Beta release,” says Trevor Doerksen, CEO of ePlay Digital. “Expect more and more features as you unlock new levels and as users see their feedback come to life.”

VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest on Big Shot Basketball and other AR apps from ePlay Digital in the future.

That is all for This Week In VR Sport. For more on immersive sport news keep reading VRFocus and remember to check back next week for another This Week In VR Sport.
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This Week In VR Sport: Recruitment, Table Tennis And The Future Of eSports

Every weekend VRFocus brings you a number of sports and eSports related virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) stories as part of This Week In VR Sport. This week, the Mount Royal University Cougars women’s soccer team is using VR to help with recruitment and training, Racket Fury: Table Tennis VR is coming to PlayStation VR, and Oculus talk about the blood, sweat, and tears of eSports at Oculus Connect 5. 

Mount Royal University Cougars

Mount Royal University Using VR Try-Outs For Their Women’s Soccer Team

Those looking to earn a spot on the Mount Royal University Cougars women’s soccer team may soon find that their try-out goes beyond the pitch and into VR.

As reported by globalnews, the University is looking to explore how they are use VR technology to help them recruit players and train athletes already on the team. This came around following Cougars head coach Tino Fusco notices the importance of review match footage. After reaching out to Mount Royal University associate professor Anthony Chaston, a way to incorporate VR into his coaching was developed.

By taking 360-degree video of Cougars players during practice matches the plan is to use the footage to immerse players and recruits into a real soccer scenario and see how they perform. The system could also be used by the coaches to provide them with a unique perspective to review plays and improve their teams performance.

“If I can get a recruit in my office and sit her down and put the headset on her and actually be on the field and be able to see 360 degrees, now I’m able to challenge the athlete and say, ‘Do you understand the game?’” Fusco said.

The solution could see the recruitment process for the team become more in-depth while all allow Fusco a means to challenge the teams knowledge and performances in an immersive way. As the technology continues to get rolled out to the team, VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest.

Racket Fury - PSVR

Racket Fury: Table Table VR Coming To PlayStation VR Next Month

Earlier this week it was revealed that developer 10Ants are bringing their VR table tennis title to PlayStation VR next month. Racket Fury: Table Tennis VR was originally released for the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive back in 2017 and then the Oculus Go and Samsung Gear VR earlier this year. Now, the title will be coming to the PlayStation VR headset giving even more players a chance to enjoy some sci-fi inspired table tennis.

“We can assure that the game is exceptionally challenging, engaging and fun! Thanks to the advanced physics, developed in cooperation with professional TT players, every match you’re about to play is going to be a really immersive experience” said Sebastian Boczek, CEO of 10Ants Hill in a statement.

Racket Fury: Table Tennis VR gives players the chance to experience a realistic and immersive table tennis experience that will see them traveling to a range of sci-fi locations. With advanced physics and challenging AI opponents to face, the title is able to recreate the real-world feeling while also putting a few twists on things. There is even a workshop where players can develop their unique robot-character to create the ultimate table tennis player.

Oculus Connect 5 eSports

Oculus Talk eSports At Oculus Connect 5

At the recent Oculus Connect 5 event, Christopher K. McKelvy, Head of eSports at Oculus to the stage to deliver a short keynote on the companies current and future VR eSports plans. Titled “Blood, Sweat, and Tears: A Tale of VR Esports” the talk explores what makes VR so appealing within this rapidly growing and expanding market sector. Oculus have a vision to grow the VR eSports ecosystem and feel that it will play a key part in the future of gaming as a whole. 

As mentioned in the talk, the market is on track to have an audience size of over 500 million with $1.5 billion (USD) expected in revenue. Titles such as Onward, Sprint Vector and The Unspoken are some of the titles that are mentioned during the talk as being some of the most played and most successful on the Oculus store.

Oculus are of course heavy invested in the VR eSports scene being involved in the VR League, which held it’s season 2 finals at the Oculus Connect 5 Event. One part of the keynote that is a nice touch as well is that McKelvy spends a moment talking about the players and some of their stories, even sharing his own. The full talk, which last around 17 minutes, can be watched below and goes over Oculus’ strategy to revolutionize eSports and keep creating more excitement.

That is all for This Week In VR Sport. For more on immersive sport news keep reading VRFocus and remember to check back next week for another This Week In VR Sport.
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This Week In VR Sport: Vuzix And OnCore Target AR Golf, The VR League Finals Draw Near And Watch PGA TOUR Coverage In VR

Every weekend VRFocus brings you a number of sports and eSports related virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) stories as part of This Week In VR Sport. This week, a reminder that the VR league Season 2 finals are being held at the upcoming Oculus Connect 5 event, Vuzix has announced a partnership with OnCore to produce AR experiences for golf players and fans can now watch PGA TOUR coverage in both VR and AR. 

VR League

VR League Season 2 Final To Be Held At Oculus Connect 5

The ever growing VR eSports scene will be making another big step soon as it has been announced that the VR League Season 2 finals will be features at the upcoming Oculus Connect 5 event.

The Oculus Connect 5 event is taking place on September 26 – 27 at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose and it is here that teams will face off against each other in the world finals of the VR League season 2. This will see teams for popular VR titles such as Onward, The Unspoken, Sprint Vector and even Echo Arena battle it out to take home the victory and the prize. The VR League is sponsored by Oculus and ESL so it isn’t much of a surprise that the final will be held at the Oculus Connect 5 event and might even become a trend in the future.

VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest from both the Oculus Connect 5 event and the finals of the VR League Season 2 as they develop, so stay tuned for more.

Vuzix Announces Partnership With OnCore Golf To Bring AR Experiences To Golf Players

Vuzix Corporation, known for their Vuzix Blade Smart Glasses, have announced that they are partnering with OnCore Golf to deliver new AR enhanced experiences for golfers on the Vuzix Blade Smart Glasses.

The two companies will team up to create AR instructional, entertainment, and educational programs that golfers of all skill levels can enjoy at any venue – including driving rangers, golf entertainment centers, on the golf course, and at home – all center around the Vuzix Blade Smart Glasses. The two companies are planning to introduce their first AR golf experience in early 2019 and will leverage third-part ball launch system at driving ranges and practice facilities.

By mid-2019, OnCore expects to launch its smart GENiUS ball and offer it with the Vuzix Blade Smart Glasses to allow for real-time AR tracking and analysis for golfers to use in actual course play. The system will include a range of features such as instructional and caddying advice using a network of both professional golf instructors and artificial intelligence (AI), along with GPS location and sensor technology. More features are expected to be announced in the coming months closer to the release of the product.

“We are excited to enter into this partnership with OnCore Golf and believe it can create an entirely new form of entertainment and training experiences for golfers of all skill levels,” said Paul Travers, President and Chief Executive Officer at Vuzix talking about the new partnership: “Bringing Vuzix Blade Smart Glasses to the golf courses, golf entertainment centers and driving ranges gives us an opportunity to connect with more than 25 million active golf participants that play on more than 15,000 golf courses across the USA.”

“Coupled with an appropriate golf ball launch system, wearers can see their flight statistics in real time. Connecting the digital world to the real world through the Vuzix Blade Smart Glasses allows wearers to keep their phone in their pocket and eye on the ball while offering an opportunity to improve their golf handicap or just simply have a lot fun while trying.”

VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest on this partnership in the future as it develops.

PGA TOUR

Watch The PGA TOUR FedExCup Playoffs In VR And AR

PGA TOUR announced earlier this week that it was going to give fans an immersive way for fans to experience coverage of the FedExCup Playoffs event for the 2017-18 season. On offer are three holes of the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club which are being broadcast in VR with fans also able to enjoy some of the top 30 in the FedExCup standings warm up on the driving range.

Fans will be able to enjoy coverage of East Lake’s par-3 9th, par-3 15th, and par-5 18th closing hole in VR with an AR option available as well. In order to enjoy this content fans can watch it on Twitter, Periscope, the PGA TOUR mobile app and on the Samsung Gear VR via the PGA TOUR VR Live Oculus application. The remaining live coverage will run today from 1pm – 6pm (ET) and tomorrow at the same times.

To experience the AR cover, fans will need to download the PGA TOUR AR app to their device and then find a flat, horizontal surface on which to display the content. Once the model has loaded viewers will be able to select a player to watch and then enjoy their shot trails in AR. There are a number of different players and holes available to pick so make sure to try them all out in AR. For more information on the application and setup process, here over to the official website.

That is all for This Week In VR Sport. For more on immersive sport news keep reading VRFocus and remember to check back next week for another This Week In VR Sport.
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This Week In VR Sport: Basketball Training, Realistic Driving And VR Golf

Every weekend VRFocus brings you a number of sports and eSports related virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) stories as part of This Week In VR Sport. This week, Nex Team are using the latest AR technology of Apple’s flagship smartphone to help basketball players improve their game. The VR driving simulator T3R has confirmed it will be attending the Tokyo Game Show and PlayStation announced Everybody’s Golf VR for the PlayStation VR. 

HomeCourt
Image credit: GeekWire

HomeCourt Uses AR Technology For Basketball Training

During the recent reveal event for the new iPhone X models, an app by the name of HomeCourt was showcased. This new iPhone app leverages AR technology to track basketball shots which can in turn be used to help players improve their shots. Thanks to Apple’s new A12 Bionic chip and artificial intelligence (AI) technology developed by HomeCourt maker Nex Team, the app can detect a hoop and basketball and is able to measure kinematics, trajectory, release times, and the number of shots made.

During the presentation former NBA star point guard Steve Nash and Nex Team founder David Lee took to the stage to reveal the app and demonstrate it’s feature set. A number of people are investors in HomeCourt including Nash himself along with Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Atlanta Hawks point guard Jeremy Lin, and Philadelphia 76ers Sam Hinkie. A number of college basketball programs are also using the app to help their teams improve as well.

The app is another great example of Apple’s continued investment and development within the AR sector and how they want to position their products to be able to enable apps such as HomeCourt.

VR Driving Simulator T3R Is Coming To The Tokyo Game Show

Middleware technology and videogame developer Silicon Studio announced earlier this week that they will be attending the upcoming Tokyo Game Show to showcase their VR driving simulation, known as T3R.

The T3R VR diving simulator makes use of a racing chair in combination with a realistic dashboard and wheel layout, along with 360-degree spatial images and 4-axis motion technology to offer the most authentic driving simulation possible. To help with this immersion the simulation leverages the popular racing videogame Assetto Corsa, from developer Kunos Simulazioni, which is known for its impressive realism and player immersion.

The Tokyo Game Show will be opening next week with its business days taking place on 20th-21st September, with restricted access to press and those working in the industry. Attendees will be able to try out the technology for themselves along with seeing demonstrations from the staff which will talk through the functions and implementations of the technology. VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest on this as it developers.

Everybody's Golf VR

Everybody’s Golf VR Announced For PlayStation VR

To finish up this week how about a round of golf? Well the good news is that earlier this week PlayStation announced Everybody’s Golf VR. This new release is being developed by Clap Hanz in association with JAPAN Studio and will be the first time that the popular golf franchise makes its way to VR.

Planned to release sometime in 2019, players will be able to immerse themselves in the world of Everybody’s Golf and use their Dualshock 2 or PS Move controller to swing the virtual golf club across a variety of courses. This also makes the title much more accessible as players now use their body to control the gameplay. On top of that, thanks to the 360-degree field-of-view players will also be able to see uneven terrain, read wind direction, and experience the nature of the golf course in impressive first person.

For now, not much more has been revealed about the title but at least PlayStation VR owners and fans of Everybody’s Golf can get excited. VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest on the title in the future so make sure to stay tuned for more.

That is all for This Week In VR Sport. For more on immersive sport news keep reading VRFocus and remember to check back next week for another This Week In VR Sport.
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This Week In VR Sport: NextVR Bring WWE To Viewers, VR Empowering Referees And Pizza Hut Join NFL

Every weekend VRFocus brings you a number of sports and eSports related virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) stories as part of This Week In VR Sport. This week, NextVR have released their highlights of the WWE Summer Slam 2018 for viewers to enjoy, football referees will soon be able to use VR to put themselfs into the shoes of the players and Pizza Hut team up with NFL for a number of promotions including packaging that features an AR videogame. 

WWE Summer Slam Kickoff

WWE Sumer Slam 2018 Highlights Come To NextVR App

NextVR, the entertainment platform that puts viewers closer then ever to the action has announced that their coverage of the WWE Summer Slam 2018 is now available to watch once again in the NextVR app. This VR experience gives fans a chance to be ringside to all the action and experience the thrill of each match like never before.

Now available in the app to re-watch whenever they want, fans will be able to enjoy highlights from select WWE Summer Slam 2018 matches and events and feel like they are in the ring themselves. The content can be enjoined on any NextVR compatible VR devices including Samsung Gear VR, Google Daydream, Windows Mixed Reality and PlayStation VR.

VR VAR
Image Credit: Manchester Evening News

VR Could Soon Be Used By Referees To Step In Players Shoes In Football Matches

VR technology will transform the way referees oversee a football match as they will be able to put themselves into the players shoes. This is according to Dave Horrocks, a sports researcher and senior lecturer in football coaching and analytics at the University Campus of Football Business (UCFB) in Manchester, who notes that the improvements in the immersive technology and satellite tracking will see a more immersive VAR system for referees.

“In effect, it means referees will have the technology to virtually become a goalkeeper and face the corner that’s just happened on the pitch to truly see a particular incident of play from virtually any angle,” Horrocks explained talking to the Manchester Evening News.

The satellite VR system is already in use for players and is used to assess and review actions throughout training in order to improve performance on match days. By leveraging the satellite VR system, titled Mi Hiepa and a tracking system called Trac Ab, the new installment of the system would allow referees a chance to step into the players shoes and gain a better understanding of what unfold during a match.

“It will enable the referee to put himself in Neymar’s shoes and know, without any element of doubt, whether he has been kicked or fouled or not,” Horrocks said. “That means the decision he makes will not have any margin for error and will be as accurate as if he had been the player involved in the incident.”

The system is currently in development and still has a way to go but for now Horrocks is hopefully that it’s implementation will occur during the Premier League by next season or the season after.

Pizza Hut Gets AR Packaging As Part Of NFL Promotion

Earlier this week it was announced by Pizza Hut that they have become the official sponsor of the National Football League (NFL) and to mark the event, the food chain have launched a number of new programs including interactive AR packaging.

This new special edition packaging will be available in all US Pizza Hut locations during the American Football season and will allow consumers a chance to interact with it via a app for iOS or Android. Once the camera is aligned with the top of the pizza box players will be able to unlock the ‘Beanbag Blitz’ game that is a virtual variant on the game of Cornhole in which a team of two takes turns throwing beanbags through a cornhole board.

“Pizza has the power to bring sports fans together, and for years, Pizza Hut has served as a gameday centerpiece in living rooms across the country. Now, as the Official Pizza Sponsor of the NFL, we’re going to celebrate football fans all season long,” said Marianne Radley, Chief Brand Officer, Pizza Hut, U.S. “We look forward to kicking off the season with our new league and team partners to deliver fans incredible in-home experiences and quality pizza each gameday.”

This new AR experience is just one of many plans that Pizza Hut have for the NFL season which will also see prize giveaways and exclusive pizza deals planned to run over the season as well.

That is all for This Week In VR Sport. For more on immersive sport news keep reading VRFocus and remember to check back next week for another This Week In VR Sport.
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This Week In VR Sports: Injury Examination In VR, eSports Competitions And AR Content

Every weekend VRFocus brings you a number of sports and eSports related virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) stories as part of This Week In VR Sport. This week, visitors to the Sydney Motorsport Park will be able to take part in an eSports competition to win a test day in a Formula 4 car, HawkeyeSports is getting a new Xtream HawkVision feature to bring exclusive AR content to Iowa Athletics Fans, and SyncThink updates their application to allow for VR analytics to examine athletes for injuries. 

Xtream HawkVision

Xtream HawkVision App Brings AR Content To Iowa Athletics Fans

HawkeyeSports is the “one-stop-shop” for all things Iowa athletics by offering fans a comprehensive suite of statistics, schedules, team information, and other relevant content thanks to the University of Iowa’s athletics department. Now, the team behind the app are bringing AR technology to the app to extend its offering by a new platform they are calling Xtream HawkVision.

“It’s exciting for us,” Said Associate Athletics Director for Strategic Communications and Marketing Charlie Taylor speaking to Front Office Sports: “Our thought process is constantly ‘how can we improve our fans experience?’ You hear that tossed around a lot in our industry, particularly around coming to a game. We’ve decided to look not just at the game day as an experience, but everything we do as an experience — including digital and mobile.”

Created in collaboration with SIDEARM Sports, Xtream HawkVision will open up a new world for Hawkeye sports fan by taking full adventure of the immersive power of the technology. By launching the HawkeyeSports App and then selecting the Xtreme HawkVision platform from the menu, users will then be able to scan unique items or logos involved in the Hawkeyes AR campaign to experience exclusive content. This includes a partnership with Coca-Cola, Iowa Corn, and the Iowa Farm Bureau to create four unique experiences that the team think fans will enjoy.

Fans will be able to enjoy a digital countdown of the Top 10 Iowa football moments of the last 20 years to even picking up souvenir cups during five of the seven home games which will include AR features available by scanning the cup. Each of the different AR experiences and partnerships offer a different way for fans to engage with the sport and enjoy a different experience from each one.

The team is hoping to expand the platform further in the future as well with more experiences and VRFocus will be sure ot bring you all the latest on these as well.

EyeSync

 

SyncThink To Use VR Analytics To Examine Sports Athletes For Possible Injuries

Neurotechnology company SyncThink, which is best known for its ability to preform neurotechnology and brain health analytics, has announced that it is expanding its software capabilities to allow sports teams to examine athletes for possible injuries, as reported by SportTechie.

Their flagship product, Eye-Sync, is able to detect impairments that can be indicative of a concussion. This application can be used by teams to check within a minute if a player is in a fit state to return to action of a match safely or if further action is required. It is not just concussions though the software can detect as the application is able to be used to monitor fatigue as well.

“What we have seen when we screen athletes is that there is a certain percentage of healthy individuals who have sub-optimal eye tracking for their sport,” Said SyncThink’s founder and chief scientific adviser, Dr. Jam Ghajar “Perhaps they have a particular area in their visual field that could be better optimized with focused training, and when we provide that training they are able to quickly improve the quality of their dynamic vision and overall brain performance. Recent studies have also suggested that these individuals could be more susceptible to injury, so the key is to screen them early to identify and remedy these deficits, as another step to mitigate risk and optimize performance.”

The hope is that thanks to this new application, athletes will be able to get better and fast care thanks to the rapid diagnostic ability of the software.

Shannons Nationals
Image Credit: EFTM

Shannons Nationals To Host eSport Competition At Sydney Motorsport Park

Racing fans in Australia best start getting their driving skills up to par as the Shannons Nationals are adding an eSports competition to upcoming Sydney Motorsport Park. Taking place on 21st till the 23rd September, Motum Simulation will be attending with a full motion VR racing simulator to give attendees a chance to immersive themselves within the action. The winner of this will not just get glory though as they will also get a test day in a Formula 4 car for their efforts.

Talking to EFTM, Shannons Nationals Director Micheal Smith said: “We’re really excited to be working with the team at Motum Simulation to have Esports officially on the Shannons Nationals card on 21-23 September,”

“Online racing is serious business and something that is giving many young people a chance to show off their driving skills from the comfort of their own home, particularly when you have access to simulators like Motum’s, which are fully immersive.” Smith continues: “We are also planning on showing the final race between the top three of the weekend on the Shannons live stream on Sunday to give everyone a chance to see how this newest addition to the Shannons Nationals unfolds.”

This news follows on from the announcement back in July that HTC Vive had partnered with the McLaren racing team to host an eSports series themselves. Now with the Shannons Nationals getting involved in VR eSports, it will only be a matter of time until more join in this exciting means of competition.

Those looking to take part will need to register online before hand and VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest on the event in the future.

That is all for This Week In VR Sport. For more on immersive sport news keep reading VRFocus and remember to check back next week for another This Week In VR Sport.