Red Deer researchers develop virtual reality training for wheelchair curling

Wheelchair curling in an undated file photo. (CTV News)

Two researchers in Red Deer have pioneered a system to help train wheelchair curlers virtually. — Two researchers in Red Deer have pioneered a system to help train wheelchair curlers virtually.

Jennifer Dornstauder and Prateeksha Aggarwal, researchers with Red Deer Polytechnic’s Centre for Innovation in Manufacturing – Technology Access Centre, helped spearhead a training program for wheelchair curling athletes using virtual reality.

Dornstauder, an engineering technical lead, and Aggarwal, an industrial research associate, teamed up with Curling Canada to help bring the idea to life this past spring.

That’s when the pair presented their grant-funded work on adaptive design in Paralympic sport at a sport innovation summit in Calgary.

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That generated conversations that led to work on the virtual reality project, which involved students in disciplines such as animation and visual effects, computer programming and kinesiology from the Red Deer school through a provincial summer research program.

She said the project wasn’t initially tied to wheelchair curling but soon was after talking to people from the national program.

“It’s not something that has really been done before, but it has been something that’s been of interest to a lot of groups in para sports,” Dornstauder told CTV News Edmonton. “It just hadn’t gotten to that level of priority where they’ve been able to really focus funds on it, so we took that as an opportunity to structure this project.”

Together, the team built a virtual wheelchair curling experience, which includes realistic body and rock movements, detailed ice and arena graphics and strategic gameplay elements.

“Four months later, we ended up with a complete, immersive virtual reality wheelchair curling training program with real-time physics and relevant environments,” Dornstauder said.

The advantages of training virtually involve convenience – the athletes can train at home while they access training resources and prepare for challenges. Canada’s wheelchair curlers are preparing for next year’s Paralympics in Milano-Corina, Italy.

“Being able to do the strategy and tactical training from your home, from an easier to access location, being able to access coaching when it’s not in person ... like in general training, it can be very valuable,” Dornstauder said.

“In this case, we actually modelled the arena to mimic the Paralympic Olympic stadium that they’ll be competing in, because for a lot of athletes at their first Paralympics, the arena is much larger than they’re used to. It’s larger, louder, busier, and so a lot of times their depth perception gets thrown off. They can be overwhelmed when they first get in there, and so this allows them to be in the environment a bit earlier.”

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Destiny Meilleur