The Sports Technology Scoring Goals in the UK

With the 2020 UEFA European Football Championship well underway we thought what better time to highlight the sports technology scoring goals in the UK.

Sport is a fantastic unifier, bringing passions and people together and the current Euro tournament is a testament to that. Regardless of what sport you follow, there is a common force that influences how the participants train, take part, and recover, as well as how that sport is consumed. Technology has become intertwined within sport and has advanced it significantly and with investment continuing to rise, its role is only going to become greater.

So, how is the UK doing in terms of its contribution to sport technology you may be wondering? The United Kingdom has been named the most influential country in the realm of sports technology by the 2020 inaugural Sports Technology Annual Review. Not too bad then! This is largely due to the UK being home to Formula 1 and golf’s European Tour, both sports praised for their commitment to innovation.

Although the pandemic has affected the wider sports market, the strong structural foundations of the sports industry is predicted to recover swiftly with the industry set to return to growth, estimated at 3% in 2021 and 8% thereafter, through to 2023. The industry has demonstrated an admirable flexibility in its response to Covid-19’s challenges.

So, here’s our pick of the sports technology scoring some serious goals in the UK!

ProMOTION – EV1

ProMOTION EV1 is a product created by Swellaway Limited supporting athletes to get back to fitness, faster. Harry Maguire has been using this revolutionary technology to get himself fit for the Euros and has said: “You can take it wherever you want, it’s easy to carry and has been a game changer in getting me fit for the Euros. There are even settings so I can use it whilst I sleep!”. The Lymm-based company has received multi-million pound investment from the likes of Wayne Rooney, physios, surgeons and other football-focused medical professionals.

Find out more about ProMOTION here

E-Nano – Sprout

UK-based robotics and engineering startup, E-Nano has recently raised an investment of £100,000 to help sports managers and groundskeepers to measure, analyse and collect data. According to their website ‘Sprout is an autonomous platform designed to roam football pitches, golf courses and any other high performance grass pitches that require intensive care, up to date and precise information on field health.’

Find out more about E-Nano here.

HIT – Impact

Start-up HIT uses wearable tech to measure and track head impact force in sport and recreational activities to reduce the risk of brain injury. Featuring a unique impact sensor, wearable across multiple sporting and activity applications, the device universally clips onto any helmet or halo headband, detecting g-force and recording impact via a companion app. Using a traffic light system, the app records data and acts as an early warning notification for the user regarding the level of impact force recorded – highlighting the caution required in continued exercise.

Find out more about HIT here.

PlayerData – EDGE GPS

PlayerData is an Edinburgh-based startup that aims to transform the way amateur and professional sports teams train through software, analytics, gamification, and wearable technology. The UK company’s AI algorithms has the ability to predict player injuries even before they happen. According to their website “EDGE GPS is designed to be small and lightweight for a comfortable fit. Slot it into a sports vest and start collecting performance data.’

Find out more about PlayerData here.

MedicCom

Not technically sport tech but we thought it worthy of a mention as it is devised from technology used in F1. Academics have teamed up with Formula One engineers to develop a new device to help medical staff communicate while wearing masks and visors. It has been funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Innovate UK, and created with the not-for-profit group Project Pitlane, made up of Formula One racing engineers. The prototype devices have been positively evaluated by clinicians in Leicester’s Hospitals, and by the Medical Devices Technology Evaluation Centre in Birmingham, and the team behind the design are now seeking additional funding to roll out the devices across the NHS.

As UK:E is primarily a contract manufacturer, we have extensive experience of supporting clients who are looking to get their products to the market. In addition to our core electronics manufacturing business, we have an array of services to support Research and development – helping our clients to realise their designs early.

We have a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and are able to quote for a variety of work – from low volume specialist instruments to large volume consumer applications.

If you require any other aspects of our manufacturing or R&D services, then please speak with a member of our sales team: sales@ukelectronics.co.uk

UK:E wishes the England team the best of luck in tomorrow’s tournament game against Ukraine.

ps. It’s coming home!