Sports training has long focused only on physical condition, then nutrition has been invited into performance development programs. More recently, the psychological dimension has gained importance. Extensive research has further highlighted the importance of vision in athletic performance. It is estimated that more than 80% of information related to sports practice is visual. High-level athletes will therefore have to acquire better dynamic vision and more effective neuro-visual processing. This is particularly true for tennis, because with an average serve speed of 160 km/h, the player must absorb and process as much information as possible very quickly. He will have to almost instantly analyze the trajectory of the ball, the distance from the net and the lines… and react in a fraction of a second.
The eye of the tiger
Specialists indicate that this process involves no less than 20 different neuro-visual skills. These include, for example, vergence, depth perception, contrast sensitivity or even peripheral vision. To develop their skills, tennis players can count on the FalconFrames developed by Evolution Optiks. It is a wearable device with built-in gaze tracking that analyzes eye movements. It sets up a linear dynamic network of light fields with retinal tracking guides that will give light indications to the athlete wearing the FalconFrames. He will then know in which direction he must look, and this in real time.
These goggles work in conjunction with a smartphone app that offers preset workout programs and tracks user progress.
The agreement with the John McEnroe Tennis Academy is a real opportunity for Evolution Optiks whose CEO, Raul Mihali, declares: “The connection between the eyes, brain and body is the missing link and we are developing FalconFrames precisely for this. Working with JMTA coaches to adapt FalconFrames to the specific demands of tennis and develop training routines best suited sport is a privilege”. Bennett Schlanky, Senior Managing Director of JMTA, also discusses the strengths of the solution developed by Evolution Optiks: “The device has enormous potential to improve the performance of our students… We look forward to testing and using this advanced technology in our programs”.