onecourt’s haptic device lets visually impaired watch live sports

Haptic device for the visually impaired by onecourt

OneCourt creates a haptic device that lets the visually impaired watch live sports using their fingertips. The laptop-sized technology uses haptics, or trackable vibrations. As the ball moves, the visually impaired feels the vibrations on the haptic device, replicating its position and movement in the court or arena. These specific aspects of the game are communicated with different vibration patterns. The team says that all of the tracking vibrations happen at the same time as the live sports. The visually impaired can watch the game either in stadiums, at home, or even pubs.

If in the former, the haptic device uses the existing data infrastructure to translate the official ball and player positions into trackable vibrations. The board is 5G and WiFi ready, so it receives the data in real-time. For the visually impaired using the haptic device at home, they can pair it with a broadcast so they can listen to the commentators during the live game. The design team says that the device can either be used with closed-circuit radios available in stadiums or arenas, or users can watch the live sports on the device on its own.

all images courtesy of OneCourt, T-Mobile, and Portland Trail Blazers/NBA

Custom board interface to follow the setup of field or arena

Every OneCourt haptic device for the visually impaired is different, depending on the game. Stadiums and game hosts can customize the board’s interface to align with the setup of the field or arena. They can also add their own logos and colors if they want. Presently, the team is working to secure in-stadium pilots for the 2025 sports seasons. So far, they have worked with major sports leagues like the MLB, NBA, and NFL. Then, they want to bring the OneCourt haptic device for the visually impaired to live games across the US in the future.

The visually impaired sports fans have used the haptic device during the MLB All-Star Week in Arlington, Texas as well as the Trail Blazers home games at Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. The team adds that the visually impaired fans are able to use the device at no additional cost. At this time, the team works with leagues for the haptic device. They say they’re planning to open the pre-orders in the foreseeable future so users can have the haptic device at home. OneCourt has also worked with the Blind and Low Vision community to design the laptop-sized haptic device capable of representing live sports gameplay in real time.

OneCourt creates a haptic device that lets the visually impaired watch live sports using their fingertips