Visually impaired tennis player and fan Ivan Rodriguez is impressed by the result. “I can’t put into words how I feel at this moment, to be able to see a match, to see the details, the ball, the spin, the depth.”
The Wimbledon tennis tournament is testing a technological innovation that will enable visually impaired visitors to fully immerse themselves in the sporting action, thanks to 5G-powered VR glasses from GiveVision.
According to network operator Vodafone, 5G technology is being used in tennis for the first time. An important innovation, says former British tennis star Tim Henman.
Delighted to be giving the guys at @givevision a hand showcasing their concept at Wimbledon this week. Great guys making meaningful difference! https://t.co/SWAYT42BlE
– David Ghosh (@MrInclusive) July 7, 2023
Accessibility and diversity in tennis
“I think GiveVision technology is great because it allows visually impaired people to follow what’s happening on centre court in real time. For me, accessibility and diversity in tennis is huge.”
The VR glasses stream live TV images adapted to the wearer’s specific vision profile directly to the retina. In the process, the photoreceptors are stimulated, which means that a certain amount of vision can be regained.
Visually impaired tennis fans are watching Wimbledon matches court-side!
Thanks to the power of Vodafone 5G and @GiveVision
Bringing people closer to what they love – it’s what we do.
Imagine what else we could do with a national 5G network!
More below
– Vodafone UK News Centre (@vodafoneuknews) July 6, 2023
“Can’t put into words how I feel at this moment”
Visually impaired tennis player and fan Ivan Rodriguez is impressed with the result. “I can’t put into words how I feel at this moment, both as a visually impaired tennis player and as a big tennis fan, to be able to see a match, to see the details, like the spin, the depth, how close he was to the line. It’s just an incredible feeling.”
By using 5G, visually impaired fans will be able to watch the match live without interference or delay from anywhere in the stands. The super-fast 5G network covers the entire stadium.