Projects made of ThinkSport DNA

ThinkSport aims to bring together sport related expertise into a single network and transform this wealth of know-how into innovative action. The following two projects are exciting outcomes of cross-sector partnerships that demonstrate the spirit of ThinkSport.

Did you already hear about the Horse Physio Trainer System (HPTS)?

Horses which compete for high prize money and then suffer health problems or are poorly trained, can generate significant economic losses.  This fact was the motivation for a multidisciplinary team from the canton of Vaud to develop a so-called Horse Physio Trainer System (HPTS). HPTS measures and calculates parameters that help optimise the monitoring of the well-being and the training of horses. These parameters are available in real time and can be featured on the tablet of the coach, remotely on the computer of the veterinarian and on the watch or even the glasses of the rider. They combine physiological information ​​such as heart functions with other parameters, including speed measurements and the location of the horse, be it in training or in competition. HPTS is innovative in integrating a wide range of parameters and, thereby, in providing more reliable and qualitative information.  The importance of this information for optimising performance is widely recognised by the scientific and the sports worlds alike. Based on many years of veterinary research, the prototype of HPTS was developed by various partners located in the canton of Vaud, including the Haute Ecole d'Ingénierie et de Gestion du Canton de Vaud (HEIG-VD), the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and a number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

And about the World Archery Excellence Centre?

The world’s premier archery facility is set to open in the Olympic Capital of Lausanne, Switzerland in 2016. Featuring state-of-the-art sports equipment, indoor and outdoor venues, and on-site classrooms, the World Archery Excellence Centre is a hub for the international development of archery, sport in Switzerland and the community. Tom Dielen, World Archery Secretary General says about the synergies between the center and ThinkSport: “The World Archery Excellence Centre is a new hub for sport development projects and elite athletes in Lausanne – and will welcome visitors from around the world. By working closely with the ThinkSport initiative, we hope to make the World Archery Excellence Centre a key venue for the Olympic Movement, and forge strong cooperation with organisations and individuals in the fields of academic research, sport development and sport business.”

The Centre will also host theoretical and practical courses for the sport’s technical officials and coaches in its conference and meeting rooms. Furthermore and as part of archery’s commitment to being a sport for all, the elite facilities will be used for training camps for young people from the local community and as an outreach centre for archery in the area. The Excellence Centre’s offices will be dedicated to conceiving innovative ideas to develop the sport from grassroots through to elite around the world.

The project is managed by FIDTA, the Foundation for International Archery Development, and supported by the International Olympic Committee, the Foundation for Sports in the canton of Vaud and numerous other partners.

Introducing the World Archery Excellence Centre

Marrying sport with academics and industry

One academic who has already collaborated closely with sport organisations and the sports industry alike is Prof. Jan-Anders Manson, Head of the Laboratory of Polymer and Composite Technology (LTC) at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). He says about ThinkSport:
“In the academic context, sport offers opportunities for exciting synergies in knowledge creation and industrial collaboration that test the limits of traditional structures. Its exceptionally dynamic pace of development and immediate relevance to young people provides academia with a unique simulator and test-bed for innovative new technologies, whose economic and societal benefits may extend far beyond the confines of the sports industry. Lausanne’s ThinkSport initiative creates an essential platform for the coordination of all aspects of sport at the international, national and regional levels. Its activities will help reshape policy in both academic and non-academic spheres and build vital new bridges between them. “

ThinkSport will highlight the proximity of the sport, business, research and educational expertise available to the sporting community in Lausanne, Canton de Vaud and Switzerland.

Do you want to share more exciting projects with us or would like to initiate one and are looking for partners? Then write to info@thinksport.org.