Interactive motorsports broadcasting in a virtual reality environment

Abstract: Interactive TV in motorsport, specifically Formula 1, is an established service that has been developed over the last 20 years. Market research reveals trends in broadcasting pointing towards, in the future, sports, in general, will be consumed via VR. Broadcasting interactive TV with VR acting as the medium, however, is an unfamiliar territory where a gap in research exists in interaction design.The purpose of this thesis is to research the viewing habits of inexperienced and experienced viewers of F1 through empirical work that includes literature review, observation and interviews. The insights gathered are then conceptualized through workshops and sketching. These, in turn, helps produce a set of iterated prototypes that are usability tested to extract insights which reveal design recommendations for ergonomics and interface and elements for augmenting the viewing experience the designer should keep in mind when developing for VR broadcasted interactive motorsport TV.