Augmented Reality Research Trends in Sports Surge, Yet Basketball Training Remains Largely Untapped

Apriyani Multitach Publisher Kamis, Agustus 20, 2026

FORMOSA NEWS

PADANG, Formosa News – The application of Augmented Reality (AR) technology in the sports domain has experienced a significant surge over recent years. However, its specific application to the sport of basketball remains remarkably limited. These findings were revealed in a recent bibliometric study conducted by researchers Ahmad Muhazir, Gusril, Hendri Neldi, and Yendrizal from Universitas Negeri Padang, Indonesia. The study was published in July 2026 in the International Journal of Advanced Technology and Social Sciences (IJATSS).

The integration of digital technologies—such as 3D visualizations, motion tracking, and real-time visual feedback—has transformed the landscape of athletic training, performance analysis, and injury rehabilitation systems. This research is vital for providing a comprehensive overview of the global AR research landscape in sports while identifying research gaps that can be leveraged by technology developers, coaches, and academics.

Research Evolution and Data Evaluation Methodology

Over the past decade, the integration of AR into sports has grown rapidly. Unlike Virtual Reality (VR), which completely immerses users in an artificial environment, AR superimposes digital objects or information onto the real-world environment. This feature allows athletes to interact with tactical simulations without losing connection with their physical surroundings.

To map this evolution, the research team from Universitas Negeri Padang collected and analyzed metadata from 1,040 Scopus-indexed scientific publications published between 2010 and 2026. The data was subsequently analyzed and visualized using VOSviewer software. This bibliometric approach evaluated annual publication trends, subject area distributions, country contributions, and keyword co-occurrence patterns.

Key Research Findings

Based on bibliometric analysis and knowledge structure mapping, the study yielded several major insights:

-Post-2021 Publication Surge: AR research in sports has grown exponentially. While annual publications remained under 15 documents between 2010 and 2016, the volume surged dramatically after 2021, peaking in 2025 with 298 documents.

-Dominance of Computer Science: Computer Science emerged as the most dominant discipline, accounting for 48.17% (501 publications), followed by Social Sciences (27.31%), Engineering (22.60%), and Medicine (16.73%). This indicates that AR research remains heavily driven by hardware innovations, computer vision algorithms, and artificial intelligence.

-China and the US Lead Research Output: Based on author affiliations, China ranked as the most productive country with 224 publications, followed by the United States with 194 publications. Indonesia recorded an impressive achievement by ranking 6th globally (56 publications), tying with India and surpassing countries such as South Korea, Japan, and France.

-Publication Formats: The majority of research outcomes were disseminated as peer-reviewed journal articles (57.50%), followed by conference papers (17.88%).

-Scarcity of Basketball-Specific Research: Keyword mapping revealed that AR is strongly connected to terms like virtual reality, artificial intelligence, deep learning, and sports performance. However, the keyword basketball occupied a relatively small, peripheral position. This proves that most AR research remains general and has yet to thoroughly address basketball training systems.

Implications and Impact on the Sports Industry

These analytical findings offer strategic direction for academia, the sports technology industry, and policymakers. The lack of AR research in basketball opens vast opportunities for developers to design AR-based training solutions, such as shooting mechanics refinement tools, dribbling drills, real-time tactical decision-making simulations, and player biomechanical analysis.

Combining AR with wearable sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) is projected to become the new standard in professional sports. Beyond enhancing athletic performance, this technology also offers measurable benefits in physical education and medical injury rehabilitation programs.

Professor Gusril, acting as the corresponding author representing the Universitas Negeri Padang research team, emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. Strengthening international partnerships between researchers from developing nations like Indonesia and major global research hubs is expected to accelerate technology transfer and innovation in AR-based sports performance systems.

Author Profiles

  • Ahmad Muhazir: Researcher at the Faculty of Sports Science, Universitas Negeri Padang, Indonesia. Expertise focuses on sports technology and coaching science.

  • Prof. Dr. Gusril, M.Pd.: Professor and senior researcher at Universitas Negeri Padang, Indonesia. Specialist in physical education, motor development, and technology-enhanced sports.

  • Dr. Hendri Neldi, M.Kes.: Researcher and academic at Universitas Negeri Padang with expertise in sports health and physical performance.

  • Dr. Yendrizal, M.Pd.: Academic at Universitas Negeri Padang focusing on sports development evaluation and physical education.

Research Source

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