TEAM USA

Helping those with disabilities come to the stadium to enjoy the games

From left to right: Timothy Nguyen, Joshua Santiago,
and Justin Anderson (from California State University, Northridge^*)
*As of when the SPORTS CHANGE MAKERS project started

The students chosen as the SPORTS CHANGE MAKERS representing the Unites States are Timothy Nguyen, Joshua Santiago, and Justin Anderson. The idea they came up with is entitled “Immersi-Vision Visor.” It is a visor that visualizes the sounds in the venue and enables deaf people to “immerse” themselves in watching sports games just as people without hearing impairment do. The team focused on hearing impairment because Justin’s close friend is deaf. The starting point of the team’s quest to put their idea into concrete form was their vision that one day he would be able to enjoy sports games more.

At the discussion after their presentation, Justin shared what drove the team:

“Not being able to hear anything takes away from the experience of the games. You need a way to take individuals with hearing impairment away from their house watching it on TV and bring them to the games. And I also have a close friend who was born deaf, so I asked him. He thinks it’s a brilliant idea what we’re trying to do.”

This idea that the three worked on for a friend touched the judges. Timothy remembers the moment he was notified of their victory:

“Before going to bed, I checked my PC at 3 o’clock in the morning and found an e-mail from Panasonic. I assumed that it would say we didn’t make it, and just saying thanks for coming to the preliminaries. But it said: ‘Congratulations! You have been nominated as the representatives of the United States.’ It blew me away, like ‘What!? We won it?’ I sent Justin and Joshua a message, and they happened to be awake. All of us cheered, saying ‘Wait! Is that true!?’ or ‘Wow! We did it!’”

Then, the team discussed again and again, brushed up their idea, and finally devised a visor that visualizes sounds through AR technology.

At the discussion after their presentation, Justin shared what drove the team:

“Not being able to hear anything takes away from the experience of the games. You need a way to take individuals with hearing impairment away from their house watching it on TV and bring them to the games. And I also have a close friend who was born deaf, so I asked him. He thinks it’s a brilliant idea what we’re trying to do.”

This idea that the three worked on for a friend touched the judges. Timothy remembers the moment he was notified of their victory:

“Before going to bed, I checked my PC at 3 o’clock in the morning and found an e-mail from Panasonic. I assumed that it would say we didn’t make it, and just saying thanks for coming to the preliminaries. But it said: ‘Congratulations! You have been nominated as the representatives of the United States.’ It blew me away, like ‘What!? We won it?’ I sent Justin and Joshua a message, and they happened to be awake. All of us cheered, saying ‘Wait! Is that true!?’ or ‘Wow! We did it!’”

Then, the team discussed again and again, brushed up their idea, and finally devised a visor that visualizes sounds through AR technology.

Idea

“Immersi-Vision Visor”

Barrier

People with disabilities are less likely to attend a stadium to enjoy watching a game

Target

We will focus on those who are hearing impaired and try to accommodate all hearing levels of impairment

Solution

A headset which visualizes sound by projecting emotions of the crowd

Presentation Movie

Prototype

With technological support from Panasonic, the team representing the United States created a prototype for their idea. The atmosphere of the stadium is translated into an emoticon: if the supporters’ team is winning, a happy face appears, and if the team is losing, a sad face appears.

Prototype

With technological support from Panasonic, the team representing the United States created a prototype for their idea. The atmosphere of the stadium is translated into an emoticon: if the supporters’ team is winning, a happy face appears, and if the team is losing, a sad face appears.

From Advisors

At the Final Presentation livestreamed worldwide, the team honed their idea by discussing with advisors, who had various perspectives.

Aaron Fotheringham
Professional WCMX rider

The barrier that you guys have decided to tackle is really a big one. And it’s honestly going to help a lot of people. When I first started doing tricks with a wheelchair, I would really struggle to be able to even do a lot of the stuff, because wheelchair technology wasn’t quite there. I think that this visor is something that will change lives, and change the way that people experience it altogether. But I do have a question: If you’re an athlete, could you use this to do sports?

You could use the visor for your heart rate, or to see how teammates are doing or performing to give information on how well you’re doing that day. Maybe you could track information throughout the month to see if you’re improving or not. That’s one way we can use the visor for athletes as well.

Joshua Santiago
SPORTS CHANGE MAKER from the United States

You could use the visor for your heart rate, or to see how teammates are doing or performing to give information on how well you’re doing that day. Maybe you could track information throughout the month to see if you’re improving or not. That’s one way we can use the visor for athletes as well.

Another idea would probably be to track how players are feeling. If their stamina is waning, if they need more electrolytes, then the blinking action in the visor will tell them, “It’s time to rest,” “Your sugar levels are poor,” or something.

Justin Anderson
SPORTS CHANGE MAKER from the United States

Another idea would probably be to track how players are feeling. If their stamina is waning, if they need more electrolytes, then the blinking action in the visor will tell them, “It’s time to rest,” “Your sugar levels are poor,” or something.

During the recent Olympic Games, I enjoyed watching the shooting events. Let’s say the viewers have hearing problems, the visor can show them which way the clay targets could be coming from. Instead of hearing the beep of the clay targets being launched or hearing the clay targets launched, you would see a signal telling where the clay targets are launching from.

Timothy Nguyen
SPORTS CHANGE MAKER from the United States

During the recent Olympic Games, I enjoyed watching the shooting events. Let’s say the viewers have hearing problems, the visor can show them which way the clay targets could be coming from. Instead of hearing the beep of the clay targets being launched or hearing the clay targets launched, you would see a signal telling where the clay targets are launching from.

Duane Kale
Vice President, International Paralympic Committee

And do you see that this application could, in time, be used in more recreational sports, like an elderly grandparent going to a kid’s sports game? Also, those who are not hearing impaired may find it hard to follow all the information that is relevant to sports events as well. Displaying text information of scores and athletes, your visor would be an effective tool for everyone having fun with sports.

Thank you. We really wanted to allow those with disabilities to enjoy the games while also not feeling like an outcast by wearing the visor. Knowing that anyone, really, would like to put on the visor is great, great news. We don’t want anyone feeling singled out. I just want to say that I’m very grateful for being here.

Thank you. We really wanted to allow those with disabilities to enjoy the games while also not feeling like an outcast by wearing the visor. Knowing that anyone, really, would like to put on the visor is great, great news. We don’t want anyone feeling singled out. I just want to say that I’m very grateful for being here.

Watch our archived video to see all discussions＞

Epilogue

photo: Timothy Nguyen, Joshua Santiago, and Justin Anderson

Joshua Santiago:
The most important takeaway from this SPORTS CHANGE MAKERS project is that I was once again reminded of the reason why I want to be a mechanical engineer: to help those in need, to help them enjoy their lives much more. I took the chance to participate in the project and see how close I can get to my goal. I’m proud of myself for having proposed this visor that enables the hearing impaired to enjoy the Olympics.

Justin Anderson:
The SPORTS CHANGE MAKERS project allowed me to have a great time and experience something that was far beyond what I could do alone. It also made me realize how I can help so many people.

Timothy Nguyen:
It was so, so happy that I became good friends with Joshua and Justin and got involved in a larger project than I expected. Hopefully, we will change the way you watch the Olympics, attract more people to the venue, and maybe become a topic for the history books.

If you shoot for the moon and even if you miss,
you'll land in the stars.

That’s what we thought.

The students have just begun taking on new challenges.
There will be many difficulties and hardships for those entering the workforce.
Hoping that this SPORTS CHANGE MAKERS project will provide clues as to how they will overcome the barriers that may await them, we shall further pursue our activities.

Panasonic is the Official Worldwide Olympic & Paralympic Partner in the Audio and Visual Equipment category.
Should any these projects be implemented and involve products/services outside Panasonic product category, collaboration with other TOPs/OCOGs/NOCs partners is required depending on their respective product categories.

Panasonic is the Official Worldwide Olympic & Paralympic Partner in the Audio and Visual Equipment category. Should any these projects be implemented and involve products/services outside Panasonic product category, collaboration with other TOPs/OCOGs/NOCs partners is required depending on their respective product categories.