Eye tracking as an activity is required to intensify referee training to improve the overall capabilities of the referees. In this context, below are the fine points from an example wherein we can understand all the details into the insights of a karate referee.
Insights from the eye tracking study :
A. Different referees bring out contrasting details :
There are certain principles in karate training that have to be followed and the results of eye tracking study on the referees showed that there are variations between different referees regarding the assessment of these principles. The referees were not able to pay attention on the actual mark, many a times such situation would come that the participants who performed better were judged more vigorously than other fellow athletes. This study also showed that one of the seasoned referee would often predict where to gaze even before the action happened. This can prove to be a learning point for other referees.
B. Improvement in referee training through eye tracking:
Different referees have different mind sets during a particular sport event, yet a common situation that arises is all the referees know where to focus, but they would end up looking somewhere else. To improve the levels of judgment & bring a healthy contest in the sport, this tracker can escalate the training of referees. Here, the Tobii Pro glasses can prove effective, this device educates the referees as to what they are looking at and how exhaustion and tiredness can actually play a good role in their analysis.
A series of sterotype movements and techniques used by the students in the championships was judged by 21 karate referees from 5 different countries with different license levels wearing Tobi pro glasses. The referees had to judge the sporting spirit and the technicalities portrayed by students. They had to give certain counts looking at display of the candidates, movements during the sport, breathing strength and many other factors. More than 2000 videos were recorded and data was analyzed to appraise the athletes.
The research on analyzing and improving the visualizations of the participants is not only limited to the above study of karate. It can be acutely useful in many other sectors and areas to have a close understanding of the human behavior to improve the individual as well as team performance. Eye tracking proves to be a unique mode to study, record and analyze visual behavior.