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High Performance CIRCuit e-Journal

John Kolb, Ph.D., Editor

Visual Perception
Training: Cutting
Edge Psychophysics
and 3D Technology
Applied to Sport
Science
Pierre Beauchamp, Ph.D.; Jocelyn Faubert, Ph.D.
(In Press, 2011)

Visual Perception Training: Cutting Edge Psychophysics and 3D Technology Applied to


Sport Science
Pierre Beauchamp, PhD, Peak Sport Performance Mindroom (www.mindroompsp.com)
Jocelyn Faubert, Ph.D., Director, Visual Psychophysics & Perception Laboratory, University of
Montreal & Chief Science Officer, CogniSens Athletics Inc (www.cognisensathletics.com).
Abstract
This article will outline new training technology for enhancing perceptual-cognitive skills of
athletes achieved through training with a 3D cave environment. CogniSens Athletics
(www.cognisensathletics.com) specializes in applying neurobiological science and technology
for performance applications in the sports, medical and military environments. The science
behind the technologies (Neurotracker, Neurominder and NeuroBalance) has been developed by
Dr. Jocelyn Faubert and his team. Dr. Faubert is Director of the Visual Psychophysics and
Perception Laboratory based at the University of Montreal. These technologies are designed for
both performance enhancement and concussion management.
NeuroTracker can be used for a) performance enhancement, b) reduced risk of injury, and c) as a
baseline reference for post-concussion return-to-play protocol:
a) Performance enhancement: NeuroTracker is a unique perceptual-cognitive training device to
improve athletic performance. NeuroTracker trains an athlete to absorb and process complex
movement and distribute his attentional resources throughout the visual field. The trained
athlete will decrease his response time during play action and increase time available to make
decisive decisions.
b) Reduction of risk of injury: with improved peripheral vision awareness, the athlete can
anticipate avoidable collisions and thereby reduce risk of injury
c) Baseline reference for post concussion Return-to-Play decision: NeuroTracker maps and
stimulates high-level cognitive functions directly related to performance. The baseline
reference of the healthy athlete provides the target Return-to-Play objective reference to
ensure the athlete is fully recovered from his concussion injury, thereby reducing the risk of
recurring concussions.
Keywords: Perceptual-Cognitive Training, Decision-making, 3D Virtual Reality
Introduction:
Athletes and coaches are always looking for an extra edge to help them perform in their sport.
Most athletes and coaches spend 90 percent of their time working on technical, tactical and
physical components of sport performance. But in sport where split-second timing can make all
the difference, exceptional visual skills are a must. Many sport science studies have
demonstrated that experts or athletes at the top of their game have much better dynamic visual
skills than non-experts (Williams et al, 1994; Zwierko, 2007). Professional athletes and coaches
know that because visual skills play such key roles in sport performance, they could be the key
factor that prevents a good athlete from becoming an exceptional one or conversely, superior
visual skills can propel a good athlete to higher levels of performance.

Vision is defined as the ability to process or interpret information that is seen, while vision
perception training is the process of improvement of perceptual-cognitive abilities for
interpreting images and/or dynamic scenes. Visual perception may be the most important and
selective of all brain processes involved in sports; whereby attempting to observe movements in
motion that occur in sport, places significant demands on an athletes visual perceptual skills.
Essentially, the eyes send information to the brain where it is integrated and interpreted as a
three- dimensional (3D) binocular image and then sends out appropriate motor signals to the
muscles (Williams, Davids, & Williams, 1999). If the visual system is not receiving messages
accurately or quickly enough, athletic performance may suffer. Consequently, it is important for
coaches and athletes to understand the important role visual perception training plays in sport
performance.
Efficient visual perception requires good brain function:
Expert performers in sport such as Wayne Gretzky in hockey and Michael Jordan in basketball
were also able to perform at their best when time was of the essence - like on the last shot of the
final playoff game or the perfect cross-ice pass to an open teammate without looking to set-up a
perfectly timed pass for the game winning goal. Sport science research has demonstrated that
these expert performers are not only endowed with excellent peripheral vision, but are also
expert decision makers at the same time (Starkes & Anderson, 2003). Decision-making, although
less obvious than other sport skills, is an important skill set that can distinguish expert athletes
from elite and novice performers. Decision skill is the ability of an athlete to quickly anticipate
and accurately select the best option from a variety of options that may appear while in motion
and often while an object ball or puck is in motion simultaneously. In coaching terms, its the
athletes ability to read and react to the situation. While Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky may
not have been the fastest or strongest in their respective sports, their ability to accurately predict
the games next open man/play means they appear to have all the time in the world.
Growing up, I was always the small guy, Gretzky has said. I couldnt beat people with my
strength. My eyes and my mind have to do most of the work. One of the critical tasks for
athletes during a game is to perceive and integrate complex moving patterns while allocating
attentional resources to different players on his team, the opposing players, the boards and the
constantly moving puck at variable speeds appropriately termed player movement dynamics
(Faubert & Sidebottom, in press). As the developmental level increases in each sport, so will the
rapidity and complexity of the play, such that the determining factor as to whether an athlete
succeeds at the elite levels of sport, will be his perceptual-cognitive processing under pressure
situations (Williams, Davids, & Williams,1999). Skilled athletes are proficient in the anticipation
of opponents movements and superior to novices in peripheral awareness in team sports
(Williams, 2000). Research has shown that playing experience is not a determining factor when
testing for visual anticipatory skills between elite and sub-elite athletes (Vaeyaens, Lenoir,
Williams, Mazyn & Philippaerts, 2007). As a result, elite athletes do not learn these perceptualcognitive based skills through traditional sports training, yet these critical skills are trainable at
all levels (Williams & Hodges, 2005; Williams et al, 2006).
How do we create effective simulations for training purposes? The answer may well lie within
virtual reality. Historically, coaches have relied on 2D video replay for training purposes.
However, one can ask, are 2D video images the most effective training medium for sport? In

virtual environments, athletes, can move their heads, eyes and limbs to explore multisensory 3-D
integration where they can interact with objects (Psokta, 1995). These virtual reality
environments or caves allow one or several athletes to interact utilizing controllers or data
gloves. Few sport organizations and/or researchers have explored the potential of virtual reality
environments with the exception of baseball batting caves (Anderson, 1993) and table tennis
(Todorov, Shadmehr, & Bizzi, 1997), yet these systems have been used in training surgeons
(Tendick, et al, 2000) and NASA pilots (Allerton, 2000) and military special forces teams.
Consequently, the aim of this article focuses mainly on factors within the athletes control
utilizing a 3D technology to improve perceptual cognitive skills such as peripheral vision and
decision making for improved sport performance.

Figure 1: One of the CAVEs (Cave Automatic Virtual Environment) in Fauberts lab.
3D NeuroTracker Technology (CogniSens Athletics: (www.cognisensathletics.com)
The science behind the CogniSens NeuroTracker perceptual-cognitive training system is driven
by world-leading neuro-physicist Dr. Jocelyn Faubert, who is Director of the Visual
Psychophysics and Perception Laboratory based at the University of Montreal. The
NeuroTracker technology has emerged from combining the fields of neurophysics, virtual reality
technology, and sport science. Consequently, it represents a truly innovative, yet scientifically
valid approach toward perceptual-cognitive training of athletes (Faubert, 2001).
At first glance, NeuroTracker is a new training technology for enhancing multiple object tracking
achieved through neurophysical or perceptual-cognitive training. NeuroTracker trains an athlete
to absorb and process complex movement and distribute his attentional resources throughout the
visual field. As a result of this training, the athlete will be able to decrease his anticipatory
response time in terms of reading the play, make quicker decisions during play action and
increase the time available to choose the best play option (Faubert & Sidebottom, In press).
The Neurotracker training system was developed in collaboration with a leading team in the
English Premier League (Football) and is currently utilized by teams in the English Premier
League, the National Hockey League (Hockey), the Top 14 French Rugby League (Rugby) and
US NCAA varsity teams. These professional teams have implemented this technology through
their Directors of Sport Science and have developed monitoring and tracking systems for
scientific research that is integrated within their yearly training plans. Preliminary research is
very optimistic and will be published shortly (Faubert & Sidebottom, in press).

Figure 2: CogniSens NeuroTracker Core Training


(http://www.youtube.com/user/Cognisens#p/u/5/uFeehGxQYSs)
CogniSens NeuroTracker Core training itself is relatively simple, with most athletes fully
engaged in the training within a minutes instruction. Essentially four spheres are targeted for
tracking and then blend with another four. These spheres then move randomly through true 3D
space, deflecting and crossing over each other. Each Neurotracker play session is six seconds and
knowledge of results (KR) with a correct score acts as feedback for the athlete. With correct
identifications, the speed and difficulty increases for each athletes threshold over the 15 trials.
Although simple to attempt, this is a complex perceptual cognitive process that activates
significant mental resources. The main core program starts at a given speed and if the four
spheres are not correctly identified the next trial will be slower and correspondingly if the four
spheres are correctly identified the next trail is faster. Repeated trials following a staircase
procedure allows athletes to both expand the amount of movement information they can absorb
in the field and process that information more efficiently until a training speed threshold is
established (Levitt, 1971).
Multiple object tracking (MOT) research suggests that multifocal attention mechanisms are
necessary to process such information (Cavanagh & Alvarez, 2005). The ability to track multiple
objects in a dynamic sports environment has been identified as essential to anticipatory response
and decision making in team sports (Williams, Hodges, North & Barton, 2006). These skills are
not only relevant to team sports which constantly overwhelm athletes with scenes of complex
and dynamic motion, but also relevant to individual sports such as fencing, karate, taekwondo,
where athletes are required to discriminate and process cues from their opponents bodies
simultaneously while carrying out an attack or counter attack (Mouton & Oberle, 2007). Finally,
the 3D conditions within the cave environment contribute to what is known as binocular 3D
visual stereoscopy, which allows for 50% greater gain in speed thresholds (Tinjust, Allard &
Faubert, 2008) than you would in a 2D video environment.

Extending the Perceptual-Cognitive Limits of Elite Athletes

In team-sports cognitive skills are central to a whole range of performance demands. This has
been well founded in sports science literature with the contrasts between elite and sub-elite
athletes being minimal physiologically but large mentally (Ripoll, 1991; Man et al, 2007).
Simultaneous demands (i.e., time pressure) across many mental skills easily overwhelm players,
causing cognitive interference and limiting performance.
3D-multiple object tracking is a core perceptual skill and is highly trainable. Increased
proficiency in this area can free up processing resources for other mental skills. Consequently,
with training, athletes become more confident as they move through the various levels of the
training staircase. For teams, the value added, is that with improved individual confidence,
quicker decision-making skills, improved peripheral awareness, athletes are better able to
respond to performance situations under pressure which ultimately will improve team toughness.

Neural Plasticity: Training your Mind

By far the greatest advantage of NeuroTracker is the pronounced effects of perceptual-cognitive


training on the mind. In terms of actual time spent tracking spheres, 1 hour produces an average
improvement of over 50%. This has been confirmed scientifically both with the general
population and with elite athletes in the field. It is now well recognized in neuroscience that
training the mind is possible and the brain is highly plastic (Mahncke, et al, 2006).
Neuroplasticity is the reason these gains are attainable, as the brain is remarkably good at
rewiring itself anatomically to adapt to intensive functional tasks (Draganski & May, 2008; Ma,
et al, 2010). Brain imaging studies have demonstrated complete neural reorganization as a result
of training (Kupers, Chebat, Madsen, Paulson, & Ptito, 2010).

Training Principles

A true sports science methodology can be applied perfectly with NeuroTracker training. Core
perceptual-cognitive skills are targeted for training in a way that is similar to doing squats to
build up leg power for generic gains in sprinting, plyometrics and box- jumping. Maximal
stimulation is achieved by an intelligent staircase procedure that pushes an athlete above and
below their NeuroTracker perceptual-cognitive threshold. The six minute Neurotracker training
sessions are highly practical and can even be integrated into circuit training routines with
physical exercises. The phenomenon of distributed learning means that small amounts of
training spread out over time increases these effects due to the role of rest and recovery.
CogniSens Cave

NeuroTracker perceptual-cognitive conditioning takes place in a CogniSens Cave, in which up to


5 five athletes can train at the same time. This light controlled structure can be setup in a gym,

with only a single power cable required outside of the cube. An 8ft wide true 3D environment is
created with the latest technology in ultra-short range projection and wireless shutter glasses.
Neurotracker Programs

NeuroTracker training is provided through a spectrum of nine different programs: a) standard,


b) advanced and c) team programs. Standard programs use scientific measurement procedures
useful for the assessment of cognitive agility and improvement rates based on a core test.
Subsequently, the athlete moves through the staircase of programs that increases cognitive
processing or brain speed in processing information encouraging automaticity. Peak speed is
assessed after each session and is tracked and monitored for each athlete.
Advanced programs layer additional perceptual tasks onto standard training, these relate
generically to in-field tactical tracking skills, attentional focusing and defender training.
Team programs bring psychological dimensions into NeuroTracker testing, conditioning athletes
to work cooperatively or under pressure competitively in one-on-one and/or two-on-two
situations. Future programs will highlight sport specific situations athletes find themselves.
Examples include goaler training on penalty kicks in soccer, goaler training on penalty shots or
shots from the point with men in front obstructing the view in ice hockey, etc. (Savelsbergh, Van
der Kamp,Williams, & Ward, 2005).
Meaningful Results

Large amounts of NeuroTracker data is generated from the 15 mini trials comprised within each
session. Knowledge of results (KR) is provided continuously to the athletes throughout the

sessions. Scores and progress rates are displayed automatically in graph form at the end of each
test, and all the details of results go straight into a database. Any or all data is available instantly
to coaches through simple yet powerful Motion Charts. These reports reveal significant trends
quickly and intuitively in a range of displays (e.g., rates of improvements for all their players,
and/or compare their players by position and/or recruits to existing players by position, etc.).
Performance Profiles: Invaluable Intelligence

The results of NeuroTracker perceptual-cognitive training represents a vanguard for cognitive


assessment of athletes, as the data provides a direct indicator of perceptual performance
capabilities which include complex motion integration, distributed attentional control, fluid-rapid
processing and visual working memory. This new form of intelligence for athletes can
complement other assessments (eg., technical stills, physical conditioning, psychological
profiles, rest & recovery tests, performance statistics, etc) for a fuller understanding of each
players overall skill-set termed a performance profile. As an emerging sports technology,
NeuroTracker is particularly valuable for recruitment testing as it provides an untapped area for
performance assessment.

Applied Results

NeuroTracker trains an athlete to absorb and process complex movement and distribute his
attentional resources throughout the visual field. The trained athlete will decrease his
anticipatory response time during play action and increase time available to make decisive
decisions (Haywood, 1984; Hodges et al, 2005; Mori, Ohtani & Immanaka, 2002). A range of
other benefits exist outside of the principle gains of performance enhancement. NeuroTracker
provides a medical role for supporting assessment of concussions. Typically, NeuroTracker
perceptual-cognitive ability will be drastically reduced under the effects of mTBIs (mild
traumatic brain injuries), which compromise critical high-level visual resources (e.g., visual
search, visual perceptual processing, visual scanning, peripheral vision etc.). Such tests present
quantitative and unbiased objective evidence for when a player is back in game shape (Rogers &
Landers, 2005).
NeuroTracker can also be performed on an exercise bike in the CogniSens Cave, where results
correlated with biofeedback data can then reveal the extent of physiological fatigue on each
athletes concentration, and may well provide a method for conditioning resistance (Alvarez &
Franconeri, 2007).
Finally, injured athletes can get a great deal out of NeuroTracker, as the training is non-physical
and can be carried out intensively. It allows a player to return to competition with significantly
increased abilities, boosting confidence at a critical period during the rehabilitation process.
Athletes injured long term can be identified for cognitive and peripheral regression brought
about through a sustained lack of game stimulation (Brosseau-Lachaine, Gagnon, Forget &
Faubert, 2008). In these cases NeuroTracker conditioning can then be applied to accelerate
perceptual-cognitive regeneration.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, we have proposed a new perceptual-cognitive training tool for sports vision
training. We have demonstrated the relevance of vision training for peak sports performance.
Specifically, we have introduced the Neurotracker system functioning in a 3 D virtual reality
cave. Initial results for CogniSens NeuroTracker 3D perceptual-cognitive vision training with
professional teams in English Premier League (Football), National Hockey League (Hockey),
Top 14 (Rugby) and NCAA Varsity has proven to be very successful. Finally, we have also
demonstrated the perception-cognitive training may have other sports related benefits such as
injury reduction, concussion return-to-play management, and reduction of fatigue-related
decision errors so critical in elite sport performance.

CogniSens Athletics Neurotracker Cave integrated in the Strength and Conditioning


facilities of a leading NHL team

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Founder Peak Sport Performance Mindroom


Dr. Pierre Red Beauchamp is an internationally renowned sport
performance coach and Founder of Peak Sport Performance Mindroom.
Dr. Beauchamp holds a doctorate in Sports Psychology (University of
Montreal) and Masters/Bachelors degrees from McGill University.
Dr. Beauchamps groundbreaking sport science Mindroom has
achieved world-wide recognition through the utilization of cutting edge
technology to enhance sport performance and to prepare elite athletes to
perform on demand and under pressure.
Dr. Beauchamp has worked with hundreds of world-class performers
from: National Karate & Take Won Do Teams, Players Forsyth Racing
Team, P.G.A Tour, and CPGA Tour professionals, OHL Belleville
Bulls, Canadian Olympic Aerial Ski Team, Canadian Olympic Mogul
Ski Team, Canadian Olympic Short Track Speedskating Team,
Canadian Olympic Ski Cross Team, Para-Cycling, etc.
(drpierrebeauchamp@gmail.com)

Jocelyn Faubert - Director of the Visual Perception and Psychophysics


Laboratory & NSERC/Essilor Industrial Research Chair-Visual
Function
Dr. Fauberts facility is recognized as one of the worlds leading
research centers in human perceptual-cognitive performance. Dr.
Faubert has built a multi-disciplinary team of more than 30 researchers
and PhD students currently exploring complex motion-perception,
neural stimulation, neural-training, and neural rehabilitation. The lab
uses state-of-the-art fully immersive 3D cave technology to support the
natural 3D training environment needed for effective performance
research, and also uses state-of-the-art immersive driver training &
testing equipment to research perceptual capacity in older population
groups.

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