Skip to main content

Drones and virtual reality the latest tools in Dallas Cowboys’ arsenal

HTC Vive
Jeffery Van Camp/Digital Trends
While companies like Oculus Rift, Google, and HTC showcase virtual reality for personal entertainment, the Dallas Cowboys are hoping that it will help them win a Super Bowl.

The Cowboys are using drones that can capture 360-degree video of their practices, providing a better perspective of each player. Players later wear virtual reality headsets that show the game video in a special room created at their Valley Ranch facility. The video will also appear on a main screen and will adjust based on where the player is looking.

Related Videos

Coaches will be able to tell if players made the proper reads because they will be able to see things they normally could not see from typical practice cameras such as each player’s eyes, hand placements, and feet. Practices are generally filmed with end-zone and overhead cameras, but a drone overhead filming 360 degrees will give coaches every perspective possible. It will be especially helpful to backup players, who rarely get that kind of hands-on experience.

The technology is from StriVR labs, which makes the software that was developed by former Stanford kicker Derek Belch. It has already been adopted by college teams such as Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, and Vanderbilt. The Cowboys are the first NFL team to adopt such a program, but other teams will likely follow suit. The Atlanta Falcons have already showed interest.

While filming practices will be an important role for virtual reality, it’s only the tip of the iceberg. Fans will benefit once the technology makes it possible to stream live games in full 360-degree video. Imagine watching a game from the point of view of being on the field with the players and seeing exactly what the quaterback sees. That will bring a whole new meaning to “armchair quarterback.”

Editors' Recommendations

Logitech’s new webcams are an alternative to Apple Desk View
logitech brio 500 alternative to apple desk view 2

Logitech unveiled its newest Brio 500 webcam and Zone Vibe headphones today, taking aim at the large workforce still stuck at home using Zoom and Teams.

BE YOUR BEST SELF ON EVERY VIDEO CALL | Brio 500

Read more
We may have just seen the Meta Quest Pro, and it looks super sleek
A hand holds a white Meta Quest Pro box with an iimage of the headset on the front

Meta is expected to launch a "Meta Quest Pro" VR set sometime this year, and the first images of this mythical device may have just surfaced online.

The Verge reported on a prototype of the top-secret headset left behind in a hotel room and subsequently discovered by Facebook Gaming personality Ramiro Cardenas, aka Zectariuz Gaming.

Read more
How much storage do you need on your new iPhone 14? Here’s how to decide
The five Apple iPhone 14 colors.

The new iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro are finally available, and Apple is again offering a selection of storage tiers. The big question is just how much storage do you need on your iPhone 14? Similar to last year, the iPhone 14 series lets you choose as little as 128GB and as much as 1TB. This means that if you want to get a new iPhone, you'll need to pick between 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB options. Bigger isn't always better, nor is it always excessive. Only you know how you use your phone, but here's a quick guide to help you pick which iPhone size is the best option for you.

Model
iPhone 14
iPhone 14 Plus
iPhone 14 Pro
iPhone 14 Pro Max

Read more