Virtual Reality Training in Sports

Virtual Reality Training (VRT)

Virtual environments are computer-simulations designed to mimic real-world situations by providing visual, auditory, and sometimes tactile information to the people submersed in the environment. 

–        Interaction with human senses

–        Reactive to input from person

–        Educational & entertainment

–        Just about any simulated environment a user can actively experience

–     It is the use of interactive simulations created with computer hardware and software to present users with opportunities to engage in environments that appear to be and feel similar to real world objects and events

–     VRT creates an interaction with the simulated world through the use of an avatar (a persona that the user chooses to adopt in a virtual world), wherein the inter-actor can focus on their sense of self and not their current level. It is, basically, an advanced video game that we all used to play, but with a physical training and a medical training application as well.

Virtual Reality in today’s world??

•         Human beings are primarily visual animals

•         We respond much better to spatial, 3-D images than to flat 2-D text & sketches

•         VR goes beyond mere static images to ones we can navigate through & interact with in real time

•         Draws you into visualisation

Types of Virtual Reality Training Process

•         Immersive virtual reality:

•         Non-immersive virtual reality:

–        Systems that involve total-body movement

•         Motion-capture, camera/video-based virtual reality

•         Motion-capture, sensor-based virtual reality

–        Systems that do not involve total-body movement

•         Computer games

•    Because of its inherent limitations, video playback doesn't permit this type of in-depth analysis. Interactive, immersive virtual reality can overcome these limitations and foster a better understanding of sports performance.

Immersive virtual reality:

•         It is a computer-generated visual environment lets experimenters control factors that would otherwise be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to control in the real world.

•      Such systematic variation of one parameter at a time allows for determining how a particular factor might influence player behavior.

A Simple non immersive VRT Unit

VRT Unit at Sancheti Physiotherapy Dept, Pune

•         Non-immersive virtual reality involving total-body movement via Motion-capture, camera/video-base

•     The Microsoft Kinect uses an RGB camera and a depth sensor to provide full-body, marker-free tracking.

•       The flexibility offered by such commodity devices is a great feature when considering VR sport bio-mechanics systems.

•      Without being restricted to a lab, a lot more sport actions can be supported and the low cost and widespread availability allows a broader audience to be reached.

Non-immersive virtual reality using Systems involving total-body movement via Motion-capture, camera/video-base:

Purpose of Virtual Reality (VR):

•         To improve a person’s strengths in order to offset the effects of disability, or as an alternative

•         Way to accomplish a task that compensates for a disability.

•         Provide a safe environment to undertake tasks which may be difficult or unsafe in real life 

•         Allow for repeated and consistent practice of the same task

•         Enable clinicians to progress difficulty and challenge levels

•         Enable clinicians and researchers to easily record and analyse performance outcomes

Advantages of VR:

•         Stimulates conceptual & strategic thinking.

•         Sensory motor integration

•         Analyse sports performance

•         Give opportunity for consistent feedback, practice and repetition which are necessary in order to successfully transfer skills to behavior

E.g., Researchers developed a VR system for analyzing previously recorded golf swings. The system allows athletes or coaches to analyse performance by comparing the bio-mechanical actions of a given golfer to an ideal model. The ideal model is computed from a variety of expert users. The two performances (user vs. ideal) can then be visualized within the system, and viewed from various viewpoints and at various speeds. The system also highlights joints of interest throughout the visualization, to represent the bio-mechanical factors that differ the most from the ideal model. No controlled study was performed to assess the usefulness of training within the system.

VR in children:

The freedom of movement allowed by VR empowers children by giving them a sense of control over their environment. It creates a realistic scenario to learn the skills. Since creating such environments are expensive and nearly impossible to do in real life.

•      Stimuli can be controlled       

•      May help in cognition training & pre conceptualization

•  Can be custom-designed to enhance the skills related to the specific sport to improve specific movements

•     Helps simulate aerodynamics related to a trajectory game in novice players

•     Can be used in sports injury prevention & rehabilitation

Disadvantages of VR

The hardware needed to create a fully immersed VR experience is extremely expensive and thus Cost prohibitive. The total cost of the machinery to create a VR system is still the same price as a new car.

•         The technology for such an experience is still new and experimental

•         Limitation of human visual system to detect acceleration

•    Transfer of trained behaviour in real life cannot be measured (Even if someone does well with simulated tasks in a VR environment, that person might not do well in the real world.)

•      The idea of escapism is common place among those that use VR environments and people often live in the virtual world instead of dealing with the real one.

•      Withdrawal from real-life social situations, a result of quasi-addiction to this artificial reality.

•      Training with a VR environment does not have the same consequences as training and working in the real world.

•      The impact of the specific game would not be felt. Since contact with the object is absent ( can help in prevention of injury)- prevents virtual world from colliding with real world

•     It will specifically help in training joint movement & reaction time related to sport. But not muscle performance.

•      It does not take into account environmental (temp changes) factors at the time of sport.

•      Part task training rather than whole task training.

Research suggests that VRT:

•         Reduces anxiety,

•         trains motor and cognitive skills,

•         increase enjoyment,

•         improve spatial understanding, and

•         Provides the sport bio-mechanical training in a non-real time system.

Conclusion

•   Computer virtual reality technology in the sports training simulation application can improve the scientific training level of athletes and sports level, and helps to develop nationwide fitness campaign.

•         Thus it provides the athletes & their coaches the much needed extra edge.

References:

Available on request.