PITCHvr

Training batters to see the baseball in the virtual realm.

PITCHvr is a virtual realty, headset-based baseball training system available on a variety of hardware platforms: Meta, HTC, Valve and HP. The patented Perceptual Image Trainer for the Complete Hitter in the virtual realm (PITCHvr) is a baseball “virtual batting practice” system developed by Mark A. Jupina, PhD, at Villanova University and commercially available through Novation Tech LLC. It supplements on-field training for serious baseball players to develop and hone vital batter skills such as pitch-type recognition, strike zone location recognition and pitch trajectory. PITCHvr Vision uses staircase adaptive training to optimally advance the player’s skill level and reports on their hitting performance over time. In the training mode, a variety of virtual assets and soundscapes assist a player while tracking a pitch. In the evaluation mode, training assets are removed and a player’s ability to track a pitch’s trajectory under real-world conditions is accessed.

PITCHvr Vision includes three training levels: High School, College and Pro. Each level has multiple types of pitches, such as fastballs, changeups, curveballs and sliders. Realistic left- and right-handed pitching avatars throw in a variety of styles (overhead, three-quarter release, sidearm and submarine).