A virtual reality start-up is to help Premier League clubs rehabilitate players and scout for fresh talent.
Mi-Hiepa Scout is a joint venture between developers Mi and sports data company Hiepa.
The Manchester firm says it has worked with Premier League clubs, physiotherapists and sports scientists to develop its VR technology, which includes a proprietary limb tracking mechanism which analyses the movement of a player’s feet and shins independently in 3D.
“Our system helps get players better mentally and physically through individual training drills,” said production and development director Adam Dickinson.
“From a talent spotting perspective, it provides an objective, sterile environment, meaning all players have exactly the same conditions and can be compared equally.
“A youngster could go through our tests in 30 minutes and you would get objective data about their ability and performance. You could test 1,000 players a week as a first point of filter.
“One of the problems many clubs are trying to solve is player engagement during rehab after an injury has occurred.
“This product certainly does that while providing valuable data for players, coaches and club performance analysts.”
Mi-Hiepa Scout says it will deploy its tech fully this season.