Technology has played a great role in the evolution of sports over time some of which became standard during Olgas career and others that have been developed over time. Some of these modern technologies include:
RFID (Radio-frequency identification)
RFID tags enable equipment managers to track inventory, and observers to monitor for illegal activity. This enables officials to ensure that no equipment is illicitly substituted for another and helps prevent the use of banned substances because devices can test for specific players.
New Technology in Design
Tested by a world-class cyclist, new designs in cycling for items like seats created a center of gravity which means that the cyclist is lighter toward the rear and less inclined to fall over as they reach speeds greater than 35km/h. World champion in time trials, Bradley Wiggins stated it “showed great potential” and would be used by his team in triathlon events.
Electronic Forms
Increasingly, sports teams are using electronic forms to process medical information and other important data. This helps teams streamline their processes, reduce administrative costs, and provide better care to athletes. Blood samples are now being collected electronically instead of via syringes; this eliminates the need for blood samples to be processed by staff with safety concerns. Electronic forms aid in reducing time spent on paper forms as well and reduce the chance of errors due to human factors.
Implantable heart defibrillators
These small devices are used by athletes to help manage their conditions. They contain a battery, radio transmitter, electrodes, and a programmer. The device is inserted through a catheter in the groin, typically during an operation. The physician then programs the defibrillator to detect and treat episodes of ventricular fibrillation with an electrical shock.
Athlete Recovery Software
Specially designed software to aid athletes in monitoring and recovering from strenuous workouts. The program can help with planning the exercise schedule and recovery schedule, monitoring the heart rate, providing general information on how to recover, and aiding in recuperation by encouraging stretching and other ways to relax. It also includes checklists of important information such as when they should drink before or after workouts. The software also provides tips on what makes a good workout, an ideal recovery time, and how much sleep is necessary.
Biometric data
This includes fingerprinting, retinal scans, and other types of identification. Biometric data is used for both positive and negative identification of individuals. It can be used for entry into buildings as well as for controlling access to various services and monitoring exertion and activity by athletes.
Virtual Reality
Teams have been using virtual reality in practice to simulate game-day conditions without visiting a stadium. It’s also used for training and for rehabilitation of injuries.
The Future of Technology in Athletics
As the world continues its transition from analog to digital, sports like athletics, soccer, volleyball and cricket will be quick to adopt these new technologies the majority of which is run through cloud based providers like OnPlatinum. The ultimate goal is to provide more valuable information to the athlete and trainers so that they can be coached better and perform better. Most sports will embrace these new technologies as well since they provide extra data streams to analyse and improve human performance.