Revolutionizing Youth Sports with Wearable Technology
Graduate students Marc-Andre Maillet and Dave Nuzzolo founded Pulse, a consultancy-like project that uses wearable technology to educate youth athletes about their bodies and improve the efficacy of athletes' workouts and practices. The system collects heart rate information, transmits data to Pulse's command center, and provides insights for coaches and players. The goal is to make wearable technology accessible to more youth teams, promoting healthier and smarter athletes.
Key Takeaways:
- Pulse uses the Activio Sport System, a heart rate monitoring system used by professional soccer clubs across Europe, to track athletes' performance.
- The system has been tested with local soccer and hockey teams, with plans for expansion and the development of a value-added product.
- Pulse is working with OU's Innovation Center to create an automated platform for tracking and processing data.
- The founders aim to charge a flat fee per player for their services, estimated to be in the neighborhood of $20-$30.
- The wearable technology market is growing rapidly, with wearables startups garnering $502 million in investment dollars in 2014.
- Pulse focuses on providing insights generated by the technology, rather than selling the technology itself.
- The project's broader goals include increasing kids' awareness of heart rate and the impact of physical activity.
Statistics:
- $20-$30: Estimated flat fee per player for Pulse's services.
- $502 million: Investment dollars garnered by wearables startups in 2014.
- 2014: Year in which wearables startups reached $502 million in investment dollars.
- 1 year: Amount of time Pulse has been in operation.
Sources:
- https://www.thepostathens.com/32348/sports/pulse-puts-heart-rate-monitoring-technology-in-local-sports-teams/article_a87514e2-72ad-11e5-b66f-f3057f32b83b.html