philip lelyveld The world of entertainment technology

Virtual reality training ramps up for the 2016 NFL season

STRIVR Labs CEO and founder, Derek Belch, says his company alone has seven NFL franchises that have invested in his immersive, 360-degree virtual reality training software and could have a few more by the time the 2016 season kicks off this September. So, essentially a majority of the league will be using VR to gain an edge soon enough.

So, how does it work? Well, once a team calls on STRIVR with interest, Belch shows them a generic demo of the software, hooking them up to an Oculus Rift or any other VR headset. From there, if an agreement is made, the company captures 50 or so plays that the team runs during practice.

Although Belch wouldn’t plunge into the company’s secret sauce nor financial terms with teams, he says STRIVR uses everything from GoPros to high-end Blackmagic cameras to capture footage, before using a combination of custom-built computer and camera solutions, and custom software which automatically fits video together at the highest quality… and swiftly.

Belch says the turnaround time for STRIVR to deliver a finished product to teams after initially recording them ranges from 90 minutes to two hours, down from the four to seven hours it took the company last season. Belch credits improved software for that.

“I don’t think it’s going to prevent injuries,” Belch said of VR in the NFL. “There’s nothing better than actual, physical practice on the field. But I will say because we saw it last year and we’ll see it again, I’m injured and can’t practice and shouldn’t practice on a Thursday or Friday and so instead of practice, I go into VR.

See the full story here: https://techcrunch.com/2016/07/01/virtual-reality-training-ramps-up-for-the-2016-nfl-season/