The scientific
basis of our instruments

VR reproduces the stimuli, pressure, and choices of competition in a controlled, calibratable, and repeatable environment, where every parameter is measurable. Conversational AI adds continuity, accessibility, and customization. Numbered references refer to the bibliography below; the most relevant evidence for our work is highlighted.

A systematic review of extended reality technologies in sport documents the rapid spread of their use for training perceptual-cognitive skills¹.

Decision making and reading the game

Activities · Decision Making

The goal is to develop perception and cognitive skills—attention, visual observation, anticipation—that improve decision-making ability.² A systematic review reports that immersive 360° videos and headsets improve decision-making in elite young basketball players.² A meta-analysis of team sports confirms improvements in on-court performance.⁴

Attention and concentration

Activities · Attention and Concentration

Sustained attention and the ability to filter distractors are crucial determinants of performance and can be trained. Three-dimensional multi-object tracking (3D-MOT) is the gold standard for measuring and training dynamic visual attention. Faubert's seminal study showed that professional team athletes learn and track dynamic visual scenes better than semi-professionals and non-athletes.⁶ Visual tracking speed is also associated with specific performance measures, such as on the basketball court.⁷⁶; la velocità di tracciamento visivo è inoltre associata a misure di prestazione specifiche, ad esempio sul campo di basket⁷.

Objective assessment: Transfer to cognitive measures such as attention and processing speed is documented⁷; transfer to competitive performance is debated—Romeas and colleagues reported the first evidence of this in the field⁸, while subsequent follow-up studies have not replicated it⁹. For this reason, attention training should be combined with tasks that are as sport-specific as possible.

In terms of concentration and self-regulation, EEG neurofeedback teaches athletes to control their mental states. A systematic review of randomized trials highlights its positive impact on concentration and motor skills¹⁰; a larger review confirms improvements in attention, concentration, reaction time, working memory, and emotional regulation¹¹.

Peripheral vision and reaction times

Attività · Visione Periferica e Reattività

Over 80% of the sensory information processed during competition is visual¹⁶. Sports vision—hand-eye coordination, peripheral vision, depth perception, reaction time—is trainable, and improvements translate into a competitive advantage¹⁶. A systematic review of 126 studies confirms widespread improvements in athletes' visual abilities¹⁵. VR also allows them to be measured objectively.

On the training front, a VR protocol significantly improved reaction time and hand-eye coordination, with gains maintained over time and achieved even with short, intense bouts¹⁴.

Stress and anxiety management

A realistic virtual environment generates measurable physiological and psychological stress responses comparable to those of real competition, making it ideal for stress inoculation training¹⁷.

VR also works as a regulatory tool: in a study on female soccer players, a relaxation intervention in VR significantly reduced both cognitive and somatic anxiety compared to baseline and induced stress conditions¹⁸.

Imagery and psychophysiological regulation (HRV)

Imagery—the mental simulation of a movement—is one of the most well-established techniques. VR amplifies this practice by providing the sensory environment rather than requiring the athlete to mentally construct it.

Activation control is measurable and trainable through heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback. A meta-analysis of 58 studies places HRV biofeedback among the interventions with the greatest effects on anxiety, depression, and athletic performance¹⁹; reviews of athletic populations confirm it as effective, safe, and easy to learn²¹, and a recent Bayesian meta-analysis reaffirms its benefits, especially in cognitively demanding disciplines²⁰.

Between sessions, conversational AI offers listening support, structured exercises, pattern retrieval, and support in recognizing and addressing performance obstacles. Below is an objective evaluation of the effectiveness of these systems.

Effectiveness of conversational agents

The evidence base is robust. A systematic review and meta-analysis of npj Digital Medicine—over 7,800 screened studies, 15 randomized controlled trials—found significant reductions in symptoms²⁴. A second meta-analysis of RCTs confirms its efficacy on depression, anxiety, and distress²⁵. In young people aged 12–25, the effect on depressive symptoms is moderate to large²⁶.

The Digital Therapeutic Alliance

The quality of the bond and agreement on goals is one of the strongest predictors of the outcome of a psychological process. Research shows that users develop a working bond with conversational agents comparable to that observed in face-to-face therapy²⁷, accepting its limitations while perceiving a genuine connection²⁸.

AI in sports psychology

In the sports field, AI is described as a transformative paradigm, capable of contributing to the identification of talent and the prediction of performance and well-being, with approaches that focus on the individual athlete.²⁹ A narrative review confirms the potential of AI in personalizing training and supporting monitoring.³¹

Recognizing and overcoming barriers to performance

Continuous monitoring is one of the most important functions. Wearable devices combined with AI analysis track physiological signals—heart rate variability, sleep, stress indicators—providing a picture that would be difficult to see in real time³². The literature on psychological screening and tracking indicates that digital platforms and machine learning are useful for identifying early signs of distress³². It is in this space that AI helps athletes recognize a block, a decline in motivation, or a pattern of pre-competition anxiety and develop strategies to overcome it.