Handheld device allows blind sports fans to feel the game

Handheld device allows blind sports fans to feel the game

For visually impaired sports fans in stadiums around the world, it often means relying on commentators or people around them to capture the action during a game. An Irish start-up has now developed an innovative approach to improve this experience.

Technological innovation for blind and visually impaired fans

The Dublin based company Field of Vision has developed a wearable, haptic feedback device designed to allow blind and visually impaired fans to not only hear the game, but also “feel” it. This technology is intended to significantly enrich the live experience.

How does the device work?

Custom-made cameras placed in every corner of the stadium use artificial intelligence (AI) to track key details of a game. In about half a second, this information is transmitted to a white, tablet-sized device shaped like a sports field that weighs less than a kilogram and is placed on the user's lap.

A small magnetic ring guides the user's finger across the tablet, similar to a Ouija board. It vibrates to convey different game situations, such as a tackle or a change of possession. Designed to complement audio description rather than completely replace it, the device features a built-in headphone jack that allows users to access the audio commentary if the stadium offers this service.

Revolution for the sports experience

"The key feedback we've received about the device is that it makes users feel like they're part of the game and experiencing it alongside everyone else," David Deneher, co-founder of Field of Vision, told CNN.

The founding story

Deneher founded the company in 2020 with two friends - Tim Farrelly, a fellow student at Trinity College Dublin, and Omar Salem, a student at Queen's University Belfast - during the Covid-19 lockdown. Aaron Salem came up with the idea after he Social media recordings of a visually impaired Liverpool fan accompanied by his cousin in the stands at Anfield.

A large target group

With over 320,000 people blind or partially sighted in the UK according to the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), and an estimated 43 million blind people worldwide, Field of Vision's technology has the potential to revolutionize the live sports experience for many fans.

Successful tests and awards

Declan Meenagh, a Dublin football club fan Bohemians, was born with a genetic eye disease and has only 5% vision. He explained that testing the Field of Vision tablet adds new levels of understanding of what is happening on the field. “The actual feeling of where the football is and what’s happening is a real game changer,” he said. “It helps a lot because you have a two-dimensional understanding of where the ball is on the field and how it is moving.”

Future outlook and plans for expansion

Field of Vision was a finalist in the James Dyson Award, an international design award for students, in 2021 and was named to the 2022 List of Time's best inventions recorded. In June it won the award for Best Initiative Promoting Inclusion and Physical Activity at the Irish Sport Industry Awards.

The company has received around €250,000 in funding, mainly through corporate accelerators and prize money from various competitions. The founders were mentored by sports industry expert Tom Sears, and after initial testing of the technology in a small stadium in Dublin, a wide-scale trial was organized at Manchester City's Etihad Stadium in 2022.

Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia, will offer 40 devices at every game starting next AFL season. The device's ability to be programmed for a completely different sport suggests a promising future for the company.

“In the long term, we want to expand into all major sports worldwide and ensure that this technology becomes standard for stadiums and live venues,” explained Deneher.

Field of Vision is currently in the process of selling the product to soccer clubs in the five largest European leagues and also plans to expand into US markets. Prices are still being finalized but will depend on the clubs' specific requirements and stadium sizes.

“We want to increase access to football and live sport for everyone,” added Deneher. “The plan is to expand to more stadiums, more countries and more sports.”