EFE
The 17th edition of the Paralympic Games, which will be held in Paris from 28 August to 8 September, will see the participation of 4,400 athletes with various physical or intellectual disabilities or brain injuries. With an eye to the future, a radical technological transformation in Paralympic sports is already anticipated.
The evolution of prosthetics and assistive devices in this sector, integrated with artificial intelligence, will allow athletes to surpass the limits of human anatomy, reaching new records in speed, agility and precision, which until very recently were unimaginable.
New technologies offer a new dimension of opportunity for Paralympic athletes. Recent years have seen developments and the coming years are expected to bring further 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, with their minds.
Neurotechnology and avant-garde
Virtual reality and augmented reality will continue to play a crucial role, giving athletes the ability to train in ultra-realistic scenarios that perfectly simulate international competitions.
Furthermore, increasing access to digital platforms and social media has allowed Paralympic sports to reach global audiences, increasing the inclusion and visibility of these sports around the world.
Faced with this challenge, Softtek, a leading company in technological solutions, explains in its White Paper ‘Olympics & Tech’, the important role that technology plays in this field and how it can help these athletes improve their results in each of their disciplines, emphasizing how AI, virtual reality and popular wearables (which are part of our image, we wear them in the form of watches, belts, t-shirts or bracelets and record what we see, eat, our heart rate, breathing rate, how long we sleep and even warn us if we are stressed) can decisively influence the performance of athletes.
A company dedicated to developing ever-advancing digital capabilities, Softtek is present in more than 20 countries, offering Paralympic sports a wide range of possibilities. Looking ahead to the 2024 Paralympic Games, these are the five main technological innovations that Softek highlights.
Artificial Intelligence and Data
Artificial intelligence algorithms track data from Paralympic athletes to improve their performance and training, identifying areas where players can improve while smart assistive technologies use sensors connected with AI algorithms to adapt to the athlete’s movements, providing more natural and efficient support in adaptive sport accessories.
Wheelchairs, prosthetics and other sports equipment are optimized with AI to improve maneuverability and athlete response, allowing athletes to reach their full potential.
Adapted athletics tracks, swimming pools and other sports facilities with special lanes, tactile guides, sensors and specific surfaces will contribute to improving the safety and performance of athletes with visual and physical disabilities. There are platforms on the market that help plan and monitor training for athletes with disabilities, manage workloads and analyse athletes’ progress.
Platforms and software
There are already platforms on the market that help plan and monitor training for disabled athletes, manage workloads and analyse the progress of athletes. With them, you can even search for sports centres adapted to their needs and learn new ways of training. In addition, some platforms even have cameras equipped with AI that automatically capture and analyse the biomechanics of athletes so that they can intervene if any alarm is detected.
Virtual reality
VR allows training in immersive environments that simulate real competition situations. This is especially useful for athletes with limited mobility, as they can practice tactics and skills without needing real spaces. In addition, it allows training on prosthesis movement skills and the biomechanics necessary for greater efficiency in each adapted discipline. As is known, virtual reality simulations make it possible for spectators to experience the characteristics of adapted sport first-hand.
Sensors and wearables
There are prostheses for athletes with motor disabilities equipped with sensors that monitor workload and force distribution in real time during games. Sensors can also be added to wearable devices to guide athletes with visual disabilities.
Wheelchairs used in many Paralympic sports already have the option of incorporating sensors that, like prosthetics, monitor training and performance. Not to mention that clothing and wearable devices, which record heart rate, breathing and other health indicators, will help prevent incidents during competitions, as disabled athletes may be more prone to injury or accidents.
In this way, coaches can take advantage of these tools to adjust strategies and game plans in real time. In addition, some platforms have cameras equipped with AI to capture and analyze the biomechanics of athletes automatically. In short, they serve to improve not only each specific technique but also as a perfect safety system, issuing alerts when any risky situation occurs and thus being able to intervene quickly.
Paralympic sports wheelchairs can incorporate sensors to monitor training and performance. In addition, clothing and wearable devices that record heart rate, breathing and other health indicators help prevent incidents, as disabled athletes may be more prone to injury or accidents.
Smart infrastructure
As for athletics tracks, swimming pools and other sports facilities adapted to the needs of these athletes, they provide special lanes, tactile guides, sensors and specific surfaces… which will contribute to improving the safety and performance of athletes with visual and physical disabilities.
Founded in 1982 by a small group of entrepreneurs, Softtek began in Mexico specializing in technology and providing local IT services until becoming today a leader in next-generation digital solutions and – according to them – the first to introduce the nearshore model, a business strategy in which they subcontract or outsource some of the services or activities to countries that allow them to reduce costs and optimize the business strategy.
The Paralympic Games are, in each of their editions, an excellent example of how the need to advance in technological innovation can boost talent in all its forms. “New technologies are not only changing the way we train and compete, but they are also providing tools for athletes to reach their highest level,” says Softtek, which believes in the power of technology to break down barriers.
That’s why they’re already thinking about the next challenge: what technological innovations will the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics bring us?
