WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY FOR SPORTS IN hUMAN CENTRED DESIGN

The core research focus is to advance wearable technology for amateur level football players. Having wearable devices to track performance is now the trend, for the fitness sector. For the sports industry it is important to identify, how the gameplay needs improving, and what data the user should use as progressive benchmarks. Quantifying these data is what shows progress. We live in a "self-obsessed era", where we are matching quantity data to success (heaviest deadlift rep, number of social media followers). With this project, the aim is to Investigate and analyse new sensor technology for advancing wearable technology for amateur level football players. Professionals have access to coaches and data scientists to analyse and improve their game, amateurs don't. To achieve such an aim key objective would revolve around new boot designs to integrate the technology, and how a user friendly app can feedback meaningful data (extended user research). This breeds more research questions, and it would tackle areas where human centred advancements could prove to be influential.
Such questions can be; How does IMU sensors track physical data and perceive them as performance data whilst being imbedded into football boots? What data transfer methods best suit and are there ways it can be implemented into equipment? How can data collaboration with sensors (coding) give intended readings? To what extent can physical data be used to determine performance in football players? It is important to develop team game play improvement as well as individual.
To conduct this project, a through research methodology must be followed with a timeline. The methodology was taken from iactive design, but also combined with Research gate's universal design process. Using both methodologies to personalise for this technical yet creative project, was considered, which goes well with intended plan and framework.