Eye tracking technology improves Olympic skiers' performance

Researchers at Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia, and the University of Calgary, Canada, are using eye tracking glasses to study the improvement in athletic performance achieved with eye tracking in Olympic and professional sports such as skiing and speed skating. Small differences in how athletes use their eyes to guide themselves around the course can make the difference between a gold medal and finishing off the Olympic podium. With state-of-the-art mobile eye tracking technology, researchers were able to measure the eye movements of Australian Olympic ski team members as they trained and competed in the real world. The small red circle represents where the skier is looking.

By recording the gaze of athletes in their natural environment, researchers (and coaches) are given a rare glimpse into the visual strategies athletes use to control their actions, how they deal with unexpected events (a competitor suddenly appearing from behind them) and which type of visual strategies lead to faster race times.