Mixed reality applied to sports
This project is a segment of my degree thesis, developed in collaboration with the ED-ME laboratory at Politecnico University of Milan. The focus of my research is the potential and innovations of extended reality, a technology that enhances our perceptual experience by overlaying digital information onto the real world. My work explores how these principles can be applied in the sports industry, particularly from an economic perspective, to demonstrate the potential of extended reality in creating innovative future scenarios.
Project JARVIS envisions a sports digital system set in the near future, utilizing speculative design to create futuristic artifacts based on current trends. These designs aim to spark dialogue and critical reflection on how mixed reality can be harnessed to create multisensory experiences in sports.
Challenges – Present
The Hololens 2, the most advanced mixed reality headset on the market, serves as the foundation for developing a sports product that addresses the diverse needs of athletes.
Innovation – Future
MojoVision is pioneering contact lenses for augmented reality, a breakthrough that could redefine the concept of headsets and better meet the needs of sports users.
The project
Project Jarvis explores the innovative potential of mixed reality contact lenses. These lenses eliminate the burden of traditional headsets, allowing athletes to experience immersive environments without compromising their performance. By integrating necessary components into training bibs and utilizing advanced body-tracking technologies, Jarvis offers a multi-sensory experience that caters to athletes across various sports.
The system allows users to engage with visual, auditory, and tactile feedback through specialized clothing. The goal is to provide real-time information that enhances an athlete's performance, such as guidance on body movements, reflex improvement, and opponent interaction. This technology, available to sports teams and organizations, enables the development of new training systems, data-driven analysis, and injury prevention strategies, offering a significant advantage to athletes and their support teams.
Inspirations and product integration
The design of Project Jarvis draws inspiration from several cutting-edge products: the Azure Kinect for tracking, Statsports for athlete data analytics, Bose Soundwear for spatial audio, Athos Clothing for muscle activity tracking, and Wearable Experiments for exercise feedback.
By replacing the traditional headset with contact lenses, key technical components like the magnetometer, accelerometer, gyroscope, battery pack, and processor are relocated to the back of the training bib. This setup, inspired by existing data collection bibs, ensures that the athlete's movements remain unrestricted. The audio system, influenced by the Bose Soundwear, allows athletes to stay aware of their surroundings while receiving spatial audio feedback.
An LED light is incorporated into the design to indicate when the mixed reality system is active, particularly useful during group training sessions. The front of the bib houses components essential for tracking the athlete’s position on the field, with a removable camera system that can be detached for washing and recharging. This flexible and body-adaptable system enhances the athlete's experience in mixed reality, allowing for seamless interaction with others and the environment.