A Game of Inches: Researching the Potential of Google Glass and

Spartan Athletics

By Molly Mason and Derek Kim

“It’s a game of inches, and you’ve got to find those inches, somehow, some way.” –Coach Mark Dantonio

ESPN

ESPN

Background

• Coaches and athletes use practice footage in order to study a player’s technique and training process.

• Highly effective when it comes to improving an athlete’s performance during competition

Research Question

Can Google Glass be used as a training tool to help improve an athlete’s performance?

What is Google Glass?• Head mounted display with an optical interface•13 GB of memory•Voice command capability•Video and camera features with an HD •Video in 720p •Available to the public in late 2014

MSU Journalism Senior Molly Mason

Method

• Athletes experimented with the device in their natural field of play

• Asked a series of open-ended questions to discover potential

• Sports– Football– Hockey– Women’s Tennis

MSU Junior Tight End Paul Lang

Football“The game moves too

fast to be able to give people a realistic perspective on what it is like to be out there on the field, but it does give someone a first-person perspective.”

-Connor CookMSU Redshirt Sophomore Quarterback, Connor Cook

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SgMsq3WIFg

Football

Positives• Ability to review play

progression• Breakdown of defensive

maneuvers

Negatives• High contact sport, chance

of damaging Google Glass• Incapable of wearing a

helmet while wearing Google Glass

• Blurry footage because of high speeds

• Receivers experienced interface interference

Hockey

“In certain aspects of hockey, I feel it would be beneficial, especially in practicing shootouts.” —Dean Chelios

MSU Red Shirt Senior Dean Chelios

MSU Freshman Chris Knudson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uLqoRUhb0E

Hockey

Positives• Gives an offensive player an

opportunity to see how a defensive player works and “what they keep our eyes on.”

• While practicing shootouts, it gives a player a chance to see how to change moves when approaching a goalie

Negatives• The puck is not clearly

visible in the video• High contact sport, chance

of damaging Google Glass• Incapable of wearing a

helmet while wearing Google Glass

Women’s Tennis

“It was pretty cool to watch your teammate and to be able to give them tips on what they look like on the court.” –Katarina Lingl

MSU Freshman Athena Trouillot and Senior Katarina Lingl

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvlc6CQbr4M&feature=youtu.be

Women’s Tennis

Positives• Ability to review an

opponents’ technique • Identify flaws in

technique (i.e. slow footwork, sluggish return)

Negatives• Interference during

serve• Cumbersome during

high speed drills

Discussion

• A key objective needed for using Google Glass as a training tool is the ability to see the object at play.

• Google Glass needs the ability to remain stable during high speed activity.

Discussion

PositivesAbility to review technique and habits

Breakdown of defensive maneuvers

Football

Hockey

Tennis

NegativesInterfaceInterfere-nce

Unable to wear helmet

Risk of damage

Football

Hockey

Tennis

Conclusion

• The new device is more adaptable for certain sports than others. (e.g. Google Glass has more potential for the sport of tennis, but not with the sport of football and hockey.)

• Good for low stakes environment.

Future Research

• Expand research subjects to more varsity sports to compare results.

• Interview coaches

Questions?