Wearable technology and fitness have become intertwined. Evolution Optiks Limited, through its OcuRay division, has taken this association to the next level with the new wearable fitness and training glasses, FalconFrames. As a vision-based wearable, the FalconFrames were created to aid users neurologically in their decision-making and processing abilities in sports.
The technology of FalconFrames is the result of years of research and light field innovation. The vision-based wearable features “built-in gaze-tracking that analyzes eye movement and uses a dynamic linear light field array with retina-tracking guide lights to give visual cues on where to look, in real-time,” according to the company’s press release. Sports involve substantial visual processing that informs physical and neurological responses. In order to accommodate these needs, the frames give users visual cues to help them decide on split-second plays and boost their overall sports performance.
FalconFrames also enhance the training process. With the dedicated app, users can “follow preset training routines with increasingly challenging settings, set goals, track progress, compare performance with others, or train with the guidance of a coach,” continues the press release. The device heightens the fitness and training experience by developing technology to strengthen athletes’ visual processing speeds and abilities.
The Mainstream Potential of Wearable Vision Technology in Sports
It is too soon to answer whether the technology embedded in FalconFrames will become mainstream in sports. However, the partnership between OcuRay and the John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA) proves that this possibility is closer than we think.
On August 21, the JMTA announced its partnership with OcuRay and its innovation FalconFrames to foster the growth of tennis players of all skill levels. The accessibility of this technology is paramount to it becoming a part of the average training experience. The partnership between JMTA and OcuRay demonstrates this imperative. The JMTA was founded in 2010 by tennis legend John McEnroe in collaboration with SPORTIME Clubs. It was founded on the vision that “great players can be developed in urban settings, while still having the opportunity to live at home, to pursue their educational goals, and to participate in a variety of sports and extracurricular activities,” according to the organization’s website.
Bennett Schlansky, the Senior Managing Director of JMTA, said of the partnership in a press release: “The device has enormous potential to enhance the performance of our students. Our goal is always to develop complete players, and to give them an edge, and to this end, the importance of excellent vision skills cannot be stressed enough. We look very much forward to testing and using this piece of high-end technology in our programs.”
The future of wearable technology in sports training and fitness programs should be built on a strong technological foundation of research and testing and motivated by a desire to enact change. OcuRay’s partnership with the JMTA, and the organization’s drive to foster growth and train young people in urban settings, demonstrate that FalconFrames is in it to win it.
