Sporting glory could all come down to how you accessorise
13 September 2007
13 September 2007
Improving your athletic performance could all come down to what you put in your ears, claimed Professor Guang-Zhong Yang at the BA Festival of Science on 13 September.
Professor Yang, a pioneer in the field of body sensor networks at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at Imperial College, discussed the medical and sporting applications of an unobtrusive body sensor, the size of a hearing aid, which could monitor and ultimately improve the performance of an athlete while training. His presentation formed part of the 'Achieving Gold with Engineering' event organised by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.
The sensor is inspired by the semicircular canals of the inner ear which are responsible for controlling motion and balance. It fits snugly behind the ear and gathers large amounts of data about posture, step frequency, stride length, acceleration and response to shock waves travelling through the body.
A computer, the size of a pin head, but with enough power to process information, sits inside the earpiece and transmits data to a laptop or handheld display trackside. This allows for real-time monitoring of th athletic performance by coaching staff.
"The process of having biomechanical data available on the spot during training sessions makes the whole process of improving sporting technique much quicker and easier," says Professor Yang.
"Current body sensors available are cumbersome, hinder athletic performance and cannot deliver real-time monitoring," he adds.
"Our sensor technology is comfortable to wear and does not affect the aerodynamics of an athlete's performance. This makes the data more accurate and much more valuable."
Professor Yang believes that the sensor also has important potential applications for preventative medicine.
Previous research suggests that the walking pattern of a person changes if their medical condition worsens. By analysing changes, via the sensor, medics can potentially detect if a person's health is deteriorating. This information is particularly useful for monitoring people living with Parkinson's disease.
Professor Yang says that the sensors could also be useful for monitoring the elderly and patients with chronic illnesses. He comments:
"The interface between human and computer via the sensors allows for a constant stream of information to be analysed by doctors. This technology could help monitor those with degenerative arthritis or those who have undergone orthopaedic surgery."
