Sports lovers come from all different backgrounds, in all different shapes and sizes, but following a live game can be difficult for those living with a vision impairment. Seattle-based startup OneCourt is changing that, however, with a patent-pending haptic display that lets low-vision individuals feel the game through their fingertips. The company was awarded an AI for Accessibility grant from Microsoft, and had its device featured in a pilot program by the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers for the ’23-’24 season. OneCourt announced that it devices will once again be available for the Trail Blazers’ current season, making them the first professional sports team to provide the OneCourt haptic display at every home game.
The device, which looks like the field or court of the sport being played, provides haptic feedback to users that allows them to follow both the players and the ball in real-time, while also alerting when a shot is attempted, and if it is successful. In the video above, creator Anthony S. Ferraro breaks down the OneCourt’s features, and how it aids in the enjoyment of live sports for vision-impaired individuals like himself. The OneCourt has been designed and tested for basketball, baseball, and football applications, while the company states that are planning on expanding to other sports in the future.
See also: WATCH: NVIDIA’s AI tools simulate eye contact and improve audio quality
