Q-Track seeks to develop a Sports Medicine Assessment Tool (SMAT) to provide comprehensive kinematic and physiological data to trainers, coaching staff, and athletes. In addition to the safety benefit of monitoring the vital condition of players in real time, our goal is to develop a fatigue management system. The purpose of this proposal is to integrate kinematic data into a physiological monitoring system in order to determine if these data can help in assessing the condition of athletes during training and competition. For the Phase I feasibility study, our specific aims are to deliver the body-wearable prototypes, baselines the athletes with standard fitness tests, and measure their fitness with the SMAT sensors while training. Our research team includes sports scientist Dr. Leonard D. Zaichkowsky, Dr. Emil Jovanov a recognized leader in wireless medical devices, the University of Massachusetts at Lowell men's hockey team and the Q-Track technical team who is commercializing their proprietary Near Field Electromagnetic Ranging approach to indoor location.
The potential public health impact on competitive sports at all levels, from high school to professional is tremendous with a Sports Medicine Assessment Tool. The ability to objectively quantify fatigue levels in athletes potentially will allow the coaching taff to remove players from competition before they are distressed or at increased risk of injury. Furthermore, the commercial potential for a Sports Medicine Assessment Tool is clear, allowing for the optimal use of team players in competitive sports ranging from Ice Hockey to Basketball. The anticipated price point for our system is $300/player making it affordable for amateur teams as well as professional.
