Testing the validity of 360-video for analysing visual exploratory activity in soccer

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Motor Control

Background:

• Extended reality (XR) technologies provide novel methods for immersive sports performance analysis.
• Assessing visual exploratory activity (VEA) is crucial for understanding decision-making in sports.
• 360-degree video simulations offer a potentially representative environment for performance measurement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the construct and face validity of a 360-video simulation for capturing VEA in women's soccer.
• To assess player perceptions of the simulation's acceptability and tolerability.
• To compare VEA between sub-elite soccer players and novices within the simulation.

Main Methods:

• Eleven sub-elite women's soccer players and eleven novices participated.
• Participants viewed 40 soccer videos using a head-mounted display with a 360-degree camera.
• Visual exploratory activity (VEA) was quantified by scan frequency; acceptability and tolerability were assessed via questionnaires.

Main Results:

• The 360-video simulation demonstrated construct and face validity.
• Soccer players exhibited significantly higher scan frequencies (0.31 scans/s) than novices (0.06 scans/s).
• The simulation was found to be acceptable, tolerable, and physically faithful, with players providing more detailed responses.

Conclusions:

• 360-degree video simulations represent a valid and acceptable tool for capturing visual exploratory activity in sports.
• This technology holds promise for future applications in sports performance analysis and skill development.
• Further research is recommended to explore the efficacy of 360-video simulations for enhancing skill acquisition.