This handheld sensory device is helping blind sports fans ‘feel’ the game

CNN

14th October 2024

This handheld sensory device is helping blind sports fans ‘feel’ the game

For visually impaired sports fans at stadiums around the world, following a match often means relying on commentators or those around them to describe the action. Now, an Irish startup is looking to create a more level playing field.

Dublin-based Field of Vision has produced a handheld, haptic feedback device that it says can help blind and partially sighted fans not just hear, but “feel” the action, enhancing the live experience.

Custom-built cameras positioned in each corner of the stadium use artificial intelligence (AI) to track key details from a match. Within roughly half a second, this information is transmitted to a white, tablet-sized device embossed with the shape of a sports pitch, which weighs under a kilogram and rests on the user’s lap.

A small magnetic ring guides the user’s finger around the tablet – not unlike the movement on a Ouija board – based on where the ball is, and vibrates to convey various match events, such as a tackle or a change in possession.

https://edition.cnn.com/world/europe/field-of-vision-blind-sport-stadium-spc/index.html