Researchers have found a significant improvement in the peripheral awareness of people who played computer games specially designed around using peripheral vision. This finding opens up the possibility that these types of games can be used to help improve players’ performance in team sports — so they can spot team-mates quicker — or to help them to identify potential hazards at the side of their vision.

Researchers have found a significant improvement in the peripheral awareness of people who played computer games specially designed around using peripheral vision.

This finding opens up the possibility that these types of games can be used to help improve players’ performance in team sports — so they can spot team-mates quicker — or to help them to identify potential hazards at the side of their vision.

Researchers at Lancaster University’s School of Computing and Communications were keen to explore how players’ peripheral vision might be used within computer games and if playing games could help to improve a players’ peripheral awareness.

«Most computer games involve looking directly at targets, or following the movement of characters, because that is the most natural and intuitive way we use our eyes,» said Mr Ramirez Gomez. «We wanted to explore the opposite — is it possible to play games just by using our peripheral vision, is it possible to develop strategies to overcome the challenge, would it be engaging and fun and could these games improve our peripheral awareness?»

They created three games, which are based on popular culture and mythology — such as the stories of Medusa and Cyclops. The Medusa game, for example, involved having Medusa dig up mushrooms in her garden while avoiding looking directly at the mushrooms — otherwise they would turn into stone.

Story Source: Materials provided by Lancaster University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.