Ver esta publicación en Instagram
For sports fans, few things are as thrilling as attending a live match with their favorite team playing. For the visually impaired, however, this usually means forgoing the narration from TV broadcasts and relying on their companions to know what’s going on in the game. Hoping to make the experience welcoming to all, OneCourt has created a clever tactile device that allows blind and low vision fans to follow the action as it happens.
The rectangular, box-like device, which sits perfectly on the user’s lap, is known as a haptic display. On the surface, it emulates the game field or court, with the plays being turned into vibrations that fans can follow with their fingertips.
“As the ball moves, you will feel the vibration on the device moving,” write the developers. “Specific aspects of the game are communicated with different vibration patterns. Our haptic language is conveyed in real-time, empowering users to experience the game live!”
So far, OneCourt’s haptic device supports basketball, football, and baseball games—the latter of which was put to the test during the MLB’s 2024 All-Star Weekend.
But how does it work? “We use ball and player positional data that’s tracked at the league level and translate it into our own haptic language, which feels like a series of trackable vibrations on the surface of the device,” explains OneCourt. The experience also includes an audio feed that fans can listen to with earplugs and a status button that displays the score.
Recently, the Portland TrailBlazers became the first NBA team to partner with OneCourt. The device is available at home games at no additional cost. The team welcomed blind Paralympian Anthony S. Ferraro to show the device at work. While using it, the athlete was excited to discover how quickly the players were moving on the court. “This was a life-changing experience, and I can’t wait until devices like this are adapted across the board in all sports and events,” Ferraro said. “One step at a time, one court at a time!”
The device is tremendously helpful for visually impaired people following a game at home or at a bar, but it really shines at an in-stadium event, where fans can take in the live game in front of them and feel the energy of like-minded sports fans.
OneCourt is currently working in developing soccer and hockey versions of their device, as well as making it available at more stadiums. To learn more, visit OneCourt’s website.
OneCourt has created a clever tactile device that allows blind and low vision fans to follow live sports matches.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
On the surface, it emulates the game field or court, as the plays are turned into trackable vibrations, letting fans feel the game-play with their fingertips.
The device currently supports basketball, football, and baseball.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
Sources: OneCourt’s website; OneCourt on Instagram, Ticketmaster on Instagram
Related Articles:
LEGO Creates Braille Bricks for Blind and Visually Impaired Children
Museum Offers Color-Blindness Glasses To Help Visually Impaired Visitors View Art in a New Way
Artist Daniel Arsham Helps Blind Man Enjoy His Tactile Sculpture