Our senses help us interact and perceive everything that makes up our world. We rely on a specific or even a combination of these to translate many forms of stimuli into information for our brain to analyze. Vision impairment can greatly affect our lives, especially for those who enjoy sports. As such, devices like the OneCourt are potentially a game-changer.
Blindness affects millions of people across the globe by varying degrees. Nevertheless, the human body remarkably compensates by enhancing the remaining senses such as hearing and touch. Thankfully, sports broadcasters usually call the game play-by-play, but background noise from the crowd or other sources can muddle the details.
The OneCourt is about the size of a large keyboard, albeit significantly thicker. However, instead of keys or buttons, each unit features a modular top surface corresponding to the court, field, arena, and others. So far, the company intends to test prototypes with the help of leagues like the NBA, MLB, and NFL. There are plans to support a wide range of live games in the future.
Likewise, the firm reportedly “received grants and awards through Microsoft’s AI for Accessibility Program, University of Washington, National Science Foundation, and more.” It uses cutting-edge haptic feedback technology to generate trackable vibrations. Users can then use their fingers to get an idea of the ongoing actions.
T-Mobile is also a major contributor to the OneCourt project as it supplies low-latency connectivity for the devices. Notable trials conducted include the MLB All Star Week and one of the Portland Trailblazers’ home games. It’s clear there is still room for innovation which could lead to enhanced immersion.
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Images courtesy of OneCourt
