Virtual Reality and the Implementation in Coaching, Skill Acquisition and Application to Surfing
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Virtual reality can be used to help New Zealand surfers develop skills. It allows surfers to practice skills like turns and positioning in a repeatable environment without limitations of real-world conditions. Researchers had surfers use virtual reality and received feedback that it improved their coordination, body positioning, turns, and use of arms. While 360 cameras currently provide an immersive but not crisp image, virtual reality allows optimal practice of difficult skills compared to real-world training. Further work is needed to improve image quality and ensure skills transfer from virtual to real surfing.
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Virtual Reality and the Implementation in Coaching, Skill Acquisition and Application to Surfing
- 1. Virtual Reality and the Implementation in Coaching, Skill Acquisition and Application to Surfing Dr Oliver Farley, Dr Kirsten Spencer and Livvie Baudinet Auckland University of Technology, Sports Performance Research Institute NZ
- 2. Surfing NZ 2017 Participation Rates (By region, SNZ)
- 3. Background Why use VR in Surfing NZ? Previous research: Substantial practice time is required to develop specific surfing skills/movements • Optimal learning experiences • Develop a movement plan to optimise the sensory information present Ambition Surf NZ = provide a High Performance Environment for NZ surfers (Coaching, PA, S&C, psychology) NZ Surfers development is limited by: Environmental constraints Surfer perception Ability to anticipate Ability to execute skills under time constraints
- 4. Virtual Reality An overview of the process of virtual reality adapted from Bideau et al. (2010).
- 5. Methods
- 6. Surfing in NZ The repeatable VR environment is optimal for developing skills that are difficult to replicate in real-world training settings (Kulpa et al., 2013).
- 7. VR in Surfing NZ Feedback • Improved coordination • Improved Body positioning • Improved Turns • More cognizant of arm positioning • Effective use of arm pumping to generate speed • Improved use of arms to instigate turns • Recordings do provide a fully immersive setting in which users feel like they are riding a wave
- 8. VR Implementation Work-ons: • 360° cameras do not deliver a clear and crisp image while using the VR headsets. • User control or inter-activity is considered paramount to the experience of VR as this directly relates to the level of behavioural realism experienced by the surfer • Measure transfer of training from the simulated environment to the real environment.
- 9. Conclusion VR • Realistic, affordable and validated • Aware of limitations • Transfer of simulated to real environment must be measured.
- 10. Thank You
Editor's Notes
- Dr Oliver Farley is a research fellow at our Sports Performance Research Institute, NZ. He completed his PhD in Surf Performance in 2017, and he is currently helping to design the High Performance programme for our NZ surfers going forward to the 2020 Tokyo games. His describes surfing as……“a gymnastic sport where surfers are as fit as Olympic athletes, battling unpredictable conditions few other sports have to contend with” It is this ‘unpredictability of conditions’ that initiated the development of this project
- Surfing is a sport synonymous with a laid-back kiwi lifestyle. Indeed the iconic 1966 surf film ENDLESS SUMMER was filmed at Raglan - yet the concept of it being an Olympic Sport in 2020, with a wider profile and possibly attracting funding from HPSNZ is one that is bringing a different mind-set....hence the NZ High Performance Camps.
- So, WHY USE VR in SURFING? - In the perfect learning environment we would have the perfect waves, the perfect swell for just the right level…yet.....sometimes environmental conditions are not perfect, even the World Surf League has to postpone their competitions due to inappropriate environmental conditions! - so if the SURF is not 'kicking' what do you do... - an optimal learning experience for a surfer is more likely to occur when their movements closely resemble that of the target skill and the environmental conditions they experience replicate the target context (i.e specificity of practice) - Therefore the emergence of 3D virtual technology has the potential to provide visual simulations in an immersive environment which can aid surfing skill development even if the surf is off.
- - The process of integrating VR technology into surfing high performance training camps generally involves three steps. - The initial step involves recording athletes’ actions. These actions provide a way to compare the surfers movements in real and immersed situations. Latest video recording technology permits filming of a full 360° environment with a single light-weight camera that can be easily held or mounted onto a participant (i.e. head camera) - The second step involved stitching together the 360° film footage, which is then viewed on the smartphone within a VR HMD headset. - the third step is the virtual environment’s presentation with VR integration.....this can be dictated by the coach/observer or by the surfer, who decides which environment to be immersed in, and what tasks they are to perform.
- So what did we do..... surfing is affected by many environmental variables ( for example wave size, formation of wave, currents, ocean chop) these are ever changing and are dependent on swell and wind factors - this leads to many possible VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS So by simulating these environments through 360 video recordings of real waves and then mimicking surfing through the use of a skateboard we gave our NZ surfers the opportunity to practice on land when, due to environmental conditions, there was no real surf to practice in.
- - SO, POINTS TO CONSIDER IN THE DESIGN Within VR immersion, the virtual environments should incorporate and integrate the interaction between the immersed athlete and virtual environment - The environment must generate a high level of presence for the surfer to feel immersed within the VE with external (technology and materials) and internal (psychological aspects) factors also considered - In surfing for example, virtual waves or actual recorded 360° waves observed in an HMD must create a full sense, as though you are truly riding on a board along the wave. - The Surf NZ VR surf training has recorded Waves breaking left and right with a Samsung 360° camera and then is viewed with the Samsung Gear VR headset - It is important that other equipment used mimics surfing and provides the link between virtual and actual environments. - The participants in the study (all surfers) used a Carver skateboard (mimics surfing movements through its dual-axis truck allowing riders to lean into turns and weight transfer between front and back legs) while viewing the 360° environment. Participants then skated in an open area to implement turns and carves, generating speed and flow while “riding the wave” for approximately 10 to 15 seconds (depending on wave selection from recorded waves)
- While this study is currently under investigation, early observations have recorded improved surfer coordination, body positioning, and turns on the skateboards. Additionally, participants are more cognizant of their arm positioning and the beneficial effects of arm pumping on speed generation and turning. Issues that have arisen are that the surfers need to have a larger area to skate in while using the headsets. Due to minimal visibility, a large, open space and constant location feedback from a coach will permit the freedom of turns and surfing movements whilst avoiding collisions. Additionally, it is imperative to consider the duration of the recorded waves when setting up an area, as a 15 second wave ride can consume 40m in distance. The study will investigate the crossover between VR surfing and actual surfing, depicting a transfer in skills developed on land.
- -SOME WORK-ONs Real-time motion capture should be prioritised over still-shot cameras to provide better interaction and realism, and incorporate the viewpoint of the surfer as it happens. -Video capture must be recorded at the highest level of recording ability (i.e. 4k) and filmed a high frame rate per second (fps) (60 fps is better than 24 fps) so it is a smooth, clear, and crisp video, rather than a ridged, pixelated, and distorted video. - Current observations of the VR surfing study demonstrated limitations with the current technology. The 360° cameras do not deliver a clear and crisp image while using the VR headsets. However, the recordings do provide a fully immersive setting in which users feel like they are riding a wave. - the addition of the Carver skateboard permits turns, snaps, and pumping for speed generation while “riding the wave”. For successful athlete development, it is necessary to carefully plan the learning environment to avoid the encouragement of negative training, such as ineffective technique. In this study, our surfers initially recorded the waves (content) AND it became apparant that they had to hold the 360 camera as still as possible and not to take turns while on the wave. If there were movements, it caused major disruption of the view while observing within the VR headset, such as the view point rapidly changing direction. This must be taken into consideration when filming dynamic environments.
- TO CONCLUDE For the effectiveness of any VE as a training/coaching tool, it should be realistic, affordable, and validated (Kulpa et al., 2016). VR for sport analysis and skill acquisition has limitations like any form of training, and some components need to be observed/implemented in a real-world setting. The VR training, coaching, and immersion aspects must be chosen with caution and inclusive of the skill acquisition learning progress (conveying information, structuring practice, and administration of feedback) when implementing any VE to study physical activity and athletic enhancement. In summary, it is imperative to always measure the transfer of training from the simulated environment to the real environment.