Tennis coverage for visually impaired trialled at Wimbledon

Vodafone has trialled 5G-powered GiveVision headsets that allow visually impaired fans to watch live tennis.

The trial is taking place at Centre Court and No. 1 Court at Wimbledon, and sees live footage streamed from local TV cameras over Vodafone 5G to the GiveVision headsets. They then enhance the footage to suit the person’s specific sight profile, by bringing it closer to their eye to stimulate the photoreceptor cells in the retina (cells that respond to light), which means a degree of sight can be regained. 

5G means the users can watch the tennis from anywhere in the stands, in the atmosphere of the venue, when before they had to be situated within 10-20m of a transmitter box in a pre-determined ‘accessibility’ area, with each box only able to support a limited number of headsets. They can also switch between modes and use the camera phone in the headset to focus on whatever action they like.

Rosie Pybus (31), Ivan Rodriguez Deb (17) and Sinead Grealy (51) trialled the headsets, and Pybus said: “Providing opportunities like this really helps to open tennis up and make the whole experience more inclusive. The technology is brilliant – the clarity, the option to change modes, the ability to see whatever I want – it gives me such a sense of freedom.”

Sinead Grealy added: “These 5G headsets are amazing and will be life-changing for so many people. It’s incredible that I’ll be able to enjoy live sporting experiences like this in the future and I’m beyond overwhelmed at the moment.”

Deb said: “As a visually impaired tennis player and a huge tennis fan, I can’t put into words how I feel at the moment. Being able to track the ball, see the spin and focus on all the finer details is a real game-changer – it’s amazing.”

The zoom, brightness and contrast of the footage can be adjusted to fit the user’s sight profile, and the possibility of using the headsets at other sport events is now being explored.

Vodafone’s UK chief commercial officer Max Taylor said: “At Vodafone we are committed to using our technology to bring fans closer to the action. Wimbledon is one of the most iconic moments in the British summer calendar, and we are proud to be able to showcase how the power of our 5G network can help make the sport more accessible to people.”

GiveVision CEO Elodie Draperi added: “At GiveVision, our mission is to redefine accessibility standards for visually impaired spectators at all UK sports and entertainment venues. By working with Vodafone and using their 5G network, we’re improving stadium accessibility without any infrastructure changes, giving visually impaired tennis fans an immersive experience at the prestigious Wimbledon Championships.”

Wimbledon’s marketing & commercial director, Usama Al-Qassab, commented: “We want Wimbledon to be enjoyed by as many people as possible, and we are delighted to support this fantastic initiative by our Official Partner Vodafone and GiveVision. These headsets have the ability to make a groundbreaking difference to the Wimbledon experience for guests with vision impairment. I am thrilled that they can watch all the match action in real time, sitting with their friends and family, and enjoying the tennis.”