I’ve mentioned before my passion for inclusive technology that enables those with impairments to experience things that the rest of us take for granted. 

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This week I was excited to find out about a new partnership between Guinness and Field of Vision that will enable visually impaired sports fans to experience the Six Nations Rugby in a more immersive way. You can read about it here.

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This is a smart application of haptic technology to enable visually impaired rugby fans to understand more clearly where the ball is on the pitch and how the course of play is developing. I doubt this device would be enough in itself to fully follow a game. However, in combination with commentary or a friend to describe the match, it would be a significant enabling technology for fans that struggle to see. It also gives us a snapshot of where technology is going.

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I’ve been interested in haptic technology for a while, following a demo I saw in Cambridge back in 2017. On that occasion, it was a UK company called Redux that provided my first interactions with haptic technology and I was blown away. I could seemingly feel what I thought was buttons on a sheet of glass. No wonder the company was acquired by Google. The potential of this technology is immense - much more than the applications it has been used for to date.

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Inclusive technology for sport is a growing trend. Last August Newcastle United raised awareness for deaf and hard of hearing fans with another UK innovation company - Cute Circuit. The company created a Soundshirt - where the noise of the crowd was translated into a haptic feeling in a football kit. For the first time ever, deaf children could experience the noise from the crowd as a feeling. 

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I first came across Cute Circuit more than a decade ago, when the company took a Bluetooth 'hug' jacket to Mobile World Congress. I vividly remember persuading the UK Minister of Trade at the time to wear it!

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This all goes to demonstrate how applications of haptics can help those with impairments engage more fully with sport. While both may be proof of concepts, for now, this market will develop significantly in the future and is one to watch.

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Talking of Mobile World Congress, next week more than 100,000 people will once again descend on Barcelona for the show. I wish everyone going the best of luck and the fortitude to thrive in one of the more gruelling weeks of the year. Team Jargon Group will be there supporting UK innovation companies at the show and you can find out more by following along here.