Lero, Logitech embark on €2.5m e-sports research project
Lero, the University of Limerick based software research centre, is to collaborate on a four-year, €2.5 million research project with gaming peripherals giant Logitech. The study will involve the testing of 2,000 gamers to better understand how they train and compete.
Lero and Logitech have collaborated across a range of studies since 2016 to measure the biomechanical, psychological and cognitive capabilities of professional e-sports athletes to casual gamers to better understand their needs and innovate products to serve them.
Logitech gaming innovation engineer Niall White said: “Lero are the best in the business at this type of software research, and the outputs from this project will help us design and create new gaming products for augmenting gaming performance – mouse, headsets, keyboards and controllers, for example.”
Director of the Esport Science Research Lab at Lero and professor in sport & performance psychology at the University of Limerick Prof Mark Campbell said: “We will have to create bespoke software tests to identify and measure key performance indicators of gaming and gamers, and identify and measure the biomarkers of esports and gaming performance. This will be achieved through the use of cutting-edge technology such as brain imaging, eye tracking and biosensors.”
Testing begins at the Gamescom convention in Cologne, Germany, today where Lero plans to test hundreds of gamers over the five-day convention.
“The information we gather will help enable the development of AI-powered smart gaming peripherals such as mice, keyboards and headsets with biosensors for human performance monitoring in-game and other potential training tools such as bespoke software tests using AI dynamic difficulty adjustments for smarter training and competing.
“We will leverage behavioural, physiological and performance data from both professional and amateur gamers during play and training sessions to assess player performance, identify key influencing factors and enhance the gaming experience. Additionally, this project will explore prototyping and iterative design methodologies to develop next-generation gaming tools, interfaces, and performance-tracking systems tailored for various gamer needs.”
Prof Campbell aded that there was a growing level of game development expertise among the research community in Ireland, and the Lero/Logitech INGAME (Innovation in Gaming and Esports) project will bring about greater international visibility of the games industry-related research and development taking place in Irish third level institutions.
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