Read-the-game: System for skill-based visual exploratory activity assessment with a full body virtual reality soccer...

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Virtual Reality

Background:

• Soccer players require strong "read-the-game" ability, involving visual exploration and decision-making.
• Virtual Reality (VR) offers immersive training for visuomotor skills and perception-action coupling.
• Understanding psychological presence and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) is crucial for effective VR training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel VR system for measuring soccer players' read-the-game ability.
• To analyze the visuomotor component of skill development in VR simulations.
• To investigate the psychological sense of presence and optimal HCI for full-body immersion.

Main Methods:

• Developed a VR system to track head movements and measure engaged visual exploratory activity (VEA) during simulated soccer scenarios.
• Utilized computer graphics (CG) to recreate in-game pressure situations for players.
• Assessed the sense of presence using the Igroup Presence Questionnaire in 24 beginner and amateur players.
• Compared input devices, finding full-body interaction (HMD + kinetic tracking) enhances presence.

Main Results:

• The VR system successfully measured VEA during simulated soccer matches.
• A difference in VEA performance was observed between beginner and amateur players.
• High sense of presence was achieved with full-body interactions (HMD and kinetic body tracking).

Conclusions:

• The novel VR system effectively measures soccer players' visual exploratory activity and read-the-game ability.
• VR simulations provide an immersive environment for developing visuomotor skills under pressure.
• Full-body interaction enhances the sense of presence in VR soccer training.