Attributes of Expert Anticipation Should Inform the Design of Virtual Reality Simulators to Accelerate Learning and Transfer of Skill

Abstract

Expert sport performers cope with a multitude of visual information to achieve precise skill goals under time stress and pressure. For example, a major league baseball or cricket batter must read opponent variations in actions and ball flight paths to strike the ball in less than a second. Crowded playing schedules and training load restrictions to minimise injury have limited opportunity for field-based practice in sports. As a result, many sports organisations are exploring the use of virtual reality (VR) simulators. Whilst VR synthetic experiences can allow greater control of visual stimuli, immersion to create presence in an environment, and interaction with stimuli, compared to traditional video simulation, the underpinning mechanisms of how experts use visual information for anticipation have not been properly incorporated into its content design. In themes, this opinion article briefly explains the mechanisms underpinning expert visual anticipation, as well as its learning and transfer, with a view that this knowledge can better inform VR simulator content design. In each theme, examples are discussed for improved content design of VR simulators taking into consideration its advantages and limitations relative to video simulation techniques. Whilst sport is used as the exemplar, the points discussed have implications for skill learning in other domains, such as military and law enforcement. It is hoped that our paper will stimulate improved content design of VR simulators for future research and skill enhancement across several domains.

XR Programmers Give Their Perspective on How XR Technology can be Effectively Utilised in High-Performance Sport

“…Functionality refers to athletes basing their decision-making and actions on comparable information to that of the real performance environment [ 9 ]. Action fidelity refers to whether athlete behaviour remains the same in the training and performance environment [ 25 , 26 ]. Therefore, it is essential that XR training tools sample information found in specific performance settings and that those tools also ensure the functional coupling of perception and action [ 5 , 10 ].…”

“…Therefore, it is essential that XR training tools sample information found in specific performance settings and that those tools also ensure the functional coupling of perception and action [ 5 , 10 ]. Doing so allows athletes to regulate their movement behaviours based upon information found in the performance setting, thus enhancing the likelihood of skill transfer occurring [ 10 , 25 ].…”

Test-Retest Reliability of Immersive Virtual Reality Measures of Perceptual-Motor Performance

“…Virtual reality (VR) has been defined as a computer-generated simulation of an environment that enables user interactions with its elements (Santos et al, 2020). Non-immersive VR methods project a simulated environment onto a screen or computer monitor that is viewed within the surrounding real environment, whereas immersive VR methods project the user into a simulated three-dimensional environment through a head-mounted display that completely removes visual awareness of the real environment (Müller et al, 2023; Santos et al, 2020). A growing awareness of the limitations of existing clinical tests for detecting subtle performance deficiencies among athletes has created a critical need for new clinical measures that will identify those with elevated injury risk (Crasta et al, 2023; Wong et al, 2023).…”

“…A growing awareness of the limitations of existing clinical tests for detecting subtle performance deficiencies among athletes has created a critical need for new clinical measures that will identify those with elevated injury risk (Crasta et al, 2023; Wong et al, 2023). Compared to standard clinical tests of neurocognitive and neuromuscular function, VR can provide greater control of visual stimuli (e.g., location, duration, speed of movement and closer coupling between perceptual and motor responses) (Harris et al, 2020; Müller et al, 2023).…”

Exploring the effects of 3D-360°VR and 2D viewing modes on gaze behavior, head excursion, and workload during a boxing specific anticipation task

“…Although previous studies have observed behavioral differences resulting from the use of VR and 2D viewing modes, there is still a lack of direct evidence assessing the disparities in visual strategies when performing sporting tasks projected on such displays. Further research and validation are needed to better understand these differences ( Müller et al, 2022 ) and to improve the knowledge about potential disparities between sexes ( Cowley et al, 2021 ). To our knowledge, only Tang et al (2023) found differences in visual search strategies between sexes in a mental rotation task using VR.…”