Sports scientists gathering at AUT

06 Sep, 2018
 
Sports scientists gathering at AUT

More than 570 sports scientists, athletes, technology partners and teachers from 32 countries will descend upon Auckland for the week of September 10 – 14 to attend the 2018 conference of the International Society of Biomechanics in Sports (ISBS).

The conference is co-hosted by Auckland University of Technology, High Performance Sport New Zealand, AUT Millennium, ATEED, and the ISBS.

The conference venue is AUT, which is ranked globally in the top 50 universities for sports science and will have a focus on the use of technology to capture and analyse data on how we move to improve sports performance and prevent injuries.

Conference organiser and AUT professor of human performance Patria Hume says ISBS’s choice to hold the conference in Auckland this year is confirmation of AUT’s position on the world stage of high performance sports research, sports science and technology.

“The key thing New Zealand does really well is to foster a multi-disciplinary culture where people are working together to improve sport performance and reduce sports injury.”

Over five days, sports biomechanics researchers from around the world will present findings on a wide range of codes including boating, combat, rugby and football, swimming, baseball, tennis and athletics. There will be discussion on how to fine tune athletic performance to jump further and higher and how to become faster and stronger. There will also be research and panel discussions on injury prevention, rehabilitation, and female biomechanics.

As well as research presentations there will be a day at the world class sporting facility AUT Millennium demonstrating how theory is applied to practice in high performance sports and technology.

The latest technology and equipment, computer modelling, big data and artificial intelligence will also be on the agenda. Keynote speaker Dr Mounir Zok, Director of Technology and Innovation, previously at the US Olympic Committee, will speak on the rise of the super athlete and why there is no going back. Dr Mounir‘s expertise is in the field of wearable technology, smart textiles and fabric, the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and cognitive computing.

A highlight at the end of the conference will be a Sports Technology Forum and Showcase.

Professor Hume says AUT is proud to provide world leading community and industry relevant education and research programmes.