July 7, 2023
Product design specialists help take pro-football training into the Metaverse
4D products and Rezzil collaborate on a series of projects that will see the development of accessories for the Meta Quest Pro Headset
Sci-Tech Daresbury based 4D products and VR and AR sports training equipment providers Rezzil are collaborating on a series of projects that will see the development of accessories for the Meta Quest Pro Headset to enhance the training of elite football clubs around the world.
Intended for professional football players
The accessories are intended for use by professional football players during their training sessions and will form part of Rezzil’s offering of rigorous training games and drills used by professional athletes across several sports, including basketball, Formula 1 and combat sports.
Popular clubs using Rezzil's VR equipment
Clubs that already use Rezzil VR equipment for their training include Nottingham Forest, Blackburn Rovers, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Manchester City – who just secured an historic treble after beating Inter Milan in the Champions League final, cementing their status as one of the most elite football clubs in the world.
Demonstrated at meta
The new PoC VR Controller Adapter, designed specifically by 4D to be used by top football clubs around the world, was demonstrated at the Facebook Meta show in Rotterdam in January using high quality prototypes.
Best in Show
The VR experience received the ‘Best in Show’ award, with BBC News citing it in an article discussing the future of VR.
During the design process, 4D used a 3D printer in their studio to quickly test and validate the design principles through 3D printed prototypes. This was a critical part in speeding up the design process whilst working towards creating production-like parts for the Meta show in an extremely short time frame.
Campus support
The production-like prototypes were vital for the client and played a large part in driving interest for pre-orders during the show. Without rapid prototyping methods like 3D printing and a trusted supplier network, it would have been impossible to create what was needed to successfully demonstrate the product in the tight schedule.
Now, using the facilities and support from the campus team at the Innovation Centre at Sci-Tech Daresbury, 4D are taking the prototypes to the mass production stage and developing packaging for the product to be sold on E-commerce platforms across the world.
Top-of-the-range training equipment
James Bell, Managing Director at 4D Products said:
It’s very exciting to be working with Rezzil to develop top-of-the-range training equipment to be used by some of the most accomplished athletes in the world.
We’re looking forward to bringing these VR accessories to market and taking another step forward in the relationship between sports and technology. The Metaverse is something that that will likely impact on all of our lives, and so it’s up to innovators like us to create the products that will ensure its potential can be fully achieved.
A shining example
John Leake, Business Growth Director at Sci-Tech Daresbury, said:
4D Products are a shining example of the ambitious companies working on campus to deliver world-class technology to international markets.
It’s companies like 4D that make Sci-Tech Daresbury a hub of innovation and collaboration in the North West, and we’re proud to support their work through the campus team and state-of-the-art facilities we offer to businesses on site.
