On The Cutting Edge: Loughborough University In London
Prof Mike Caine, Professor of Sports Technology and Innovation and Dean, Loughborough University in London, on how integration, personalisation and lighter products can see innovation take sport to new levels…
Where could innovation take sport next? There are a number of themes that stand out:
Integration of sensors and pervasive monitoring in to sporting goods. This is already happening but will increase markedly. The impacts will be profound and will cut across multiple aspects of sport including: talent identification, player development and the spectator experience. Sensors in balls will capture position, velocity, spin etc and provide data to coaches and those wishing to make evidence based decisions about player acquisitions, team selection, player development and team tactics. Sports rights holders and broadcasters will also starting packaging real time information to enhance the spectator experience. Whether live or broadcast sports content will be consumer in an augmented environment, whereby spectators receive statistics about the players and the play (distance covered by a player, velocity of a shot, spin rate on free-kick etc) via their TV sets of smartphones.
Personalisation of equipment, from running shoes, to protective equipment and everything in between. Personalised sports products have been around for many years, but recent advances in measurement capture (scanning technologies) and tool-less manufacturing process (e.g. additive manufacturing) will see a proliferation of personalised products whereby the functionality of the product, not just the aesthetic will be customised. Running shoes with cushioning tailored to the preferences and body mass of the user; base-layer garments with compression levels determined by the shape of the wearer, and protective equipment e.g. helmets, pads and goggles tailored to the individual wearers body contours will all become mainstream.
Emergence of lighter and stronger sporting goods. As graphene and other material advances are adopted in sporting goods we will see products introduced which are stronger and lighter than existing. The effect will be disruptive, as it was when carbon fibre and Kevlar replaced wooden and metal rackets, clubs and skis. Expect those sports stars who can’t (or won’t) adapt to be left behind by the new kids on the block!
