Cutting-edge prosthetics, AI and virtual reality: technology impacts athletes’ performance

MADRID (Portaltic/EP) -Technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) or virtual reality in combination with prosthetics and assistive devices open the door to substantially improving the performance of athletes, such as those who will participate in the Paralympic Games in Paris from August 28 to September 8.

The evolution of prosthetics and assistive devices, integrated with artificial intelligence, will allow athletes to surpass the limits of human anatomy, reaching new records in speed, agility and precision. Virtual reality and augmented reality open the door to training in ultra-realistic scenarios that simulate international competitions.

The next few years will also bring advances in neurotechnology, such as brain-computer interfaces, which will offer athletes with severe disabilities the ability to control prosthetics and devices directly with their thoughts.

At the same time, increasing access to digital platforms and social media will enable Paralympic sports to reach global audiences, increasing the inclusion and visibility of these sports around the world.

These are some of the conclusions contained in the White Paper ‘Olympics & Tech’ by the firm Softtek, specialised in global technological solutions, and which has been shared on the occasion of the Paralympic Games, which will celebrate their seventeenth edition in Paris from 28 August to 8 September. 4,400 athletes with physical or intellectual disabilities, paralysis or brain injury will participate in them, of which 150 will represent Spain.

In this context, and with an eye to the future, Softtek has highlighted the five main technological innovations that will have the greatest influence among athletes.

There are prostheses for athletes with motor disabilities equipped with sensors that monitor workload and force distribution in real time during games. Wheelchairs, used in many Paralympic sports, already have the possibility of incorporating sensors, and these can also be implemented in wearable devices to guide athletes with visual impairments.

Wearables and clothing that track heart rate, breathing and other health indicators, along with artificial intelligence algorithms, help identify areas where players can improve and prevent incidents during their competitions.

Virtual reality allows training in immersive environments that simulate real competition situations, which helps to practice tactics and skills without needing large spaces. It also allows working on prosthesis movement skills and the biomechanics necessary for greater efficiency in each adapted discipline, and virtual reality simulations even make it possible for spectators to experience the characteristics of adapted sport first-hand.

As far as platforms and software are concerned, these are used to plan and monitor training for disabled athletes, manage workloads and analyse athletes’ progress. With them, they can search for sports centres adapted to their needs and learn new training, while coaches can take advantage of tools to adjust strategies and game plans in real time.

In addition, some platforms have AI-equipped cameras to automatically capture and analyse athletes’ biomechanics. They are used to improve specific techniques for each adapted discipline and for safety systems, issuing alerts when a risky movement or pattern occurs and intervening early.

Finally, athletics tracks, swimming pools and other sports facilities adapted with special lanes, tactile guides, sensors and specific surfaces will contribute to improving the safety and performance of athletes with visual and physical disabilities.

For Softtek’s executive director for Spain, Doris Seedorf, “the Paralympic Games are an excellent example of how innovation can boost talent in all its forms. New technologies are not only changing the way we train and compete, but are also providing tools for athletes to reach their highest level.”