A detailed view of boots kicking the match ball during the UEFA Champions League group A match between SL Benfica and Manchester United at Estadio da Luz on Oct. 18, 2017. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
Half the battle with injuries is preventing them before they occur. SportScientia is testing a wireless, 3D-printed smart insole with soccer teams in Liverpool. The hope is that the device will monitor movement and load distribution in an athletes’ foot, and catch risk factors before they lead to injury.
The insole works by collecting real-time data regarding a player’s baseline, amount of stress being placed on the foot and other performance factors. These numbers can be monitored by coaches, players, or even doctors.
SportScientia worked with innovation center Sensor City and business support program LCR 4.0 to build the technology, getting access to specialized tools and the 3D printers used in making the device.
“Our aim at SportScientia is to use advanced technology to create products that provide a better understanding of sports performance and to reduce the risk of injury,” said Peter Lazou, a SportScientia founding partner, in an article with the Liverpool Business Daily. “The LCR 4.0 programme and Sensor City team have given us the resource to make this possible and brought us one step closer to becoming a more recognisable brand name globally.”
SportTechie Takeaway
In a January 2017 Startup Profile Series interview with SportTechie, Lazou and co-founder, Daniel Vale, spoke about the smart sole’s potential in other sports. “Although our current target focus is football, our objective is to deploy our smart insole for use in all other sport, fitness and medical applications.”
In a data-driven world, other pieces of wearable tech are working to offer athletes injury-prevention capabilities. Polar Team Pro, for example, uses a single sensor to track factors like speed and acceleration, and also to help athletes determine which recovery method works best.
