25 years

Von der Analyse menschlicher Bewegung zu mehr Wohlbefinden

From analyzing human movement to promoting greater well-being

Movement is essential for health, performance, and well-being, but movement quality, however, is crucial for avoiding injuries and optimizing performance. This is particularly important in sports, rehabilitation, and physically demanding professions, where precise analysis and specific improvement of movement sequences are essential. Traditional methods often reach their limits in this regard. Digital technologies and intelligent sensor networks offer new possibilities for objectively measuring and evaluating movements and providing real-time feedback.

CTD_PISTE_2020_2021_5
Innovative Technologie hilft Skifahrenden, ihre Skitechnik zu analysieren und dadurch Unfälle und Verletzungen zu vermeiden: Echtzeit-Feedback direkt auf das Smartphone © Salzburg Research
© Alexander Müller
Houskapreis 2023: Elisabeth Häusler
Ein Proband mit einem Prototyp einer intelligenten Feuerwehrjacke in der Brandsimulationsanlage © Salzburg Research/wildbild
Salzburg Research-Forscher Severin Bernhart und Texport-Geschäftsführer Otmar Schneider mit einem Prototyp einer intelligenten Feuerwehrjacke vor der Brandsimulationsanlage © Salzburg Research/wildbild
Saphenus Sensorsocke für die mobile Ganganalyse

Salzburg Research analyzes human movement data and develops mobile sensor systems and smart sports equipment to enhance safety, performance, and rehabilitation.

Salzburg Research focuses on analyzing human movement data as well as evaluating the quality of movement. A long-standing collaboration with renowned sporting goods manufacturers resulted in a major joint project: the COMET competence project, “Digital Motion in Sports, Fitness, and Well-Being,” launched in 2018. Under the leadership of Salzburg Research, industrial companies collaborate with research institutes to develop smart running and skiing equipment, as well as concepts, services, and applications for rehabilitation and health. The Austrian Research Promotion Agency and the participating states double the contributions of the industrial companies involved in this collaboration to promote innovation, business, and a position at the forefront of international research. This collaboration has resulted in innovations such as Connected Boot, which assesses skiing quality. For this achievement, Salzburg Research won the Houska Prize in the non-university research category in 2023. This innovation is an important milestone on the way to digitally networked products that could help reduce the risk of skiing accidents by detecting fatigue. In 2023, the highly competitive competence project was approved for an additional four years of funding to develop digital technologies that promote vitality and safety in exercise and sports. Smart sensor fusion is being used in the large-scale project and beyond to improve safety in textiles, among other things. For instance, in firefighting equipment, it detects impending heat stress and automatically initiates countermeasures to prevent firefighters from collapsing. A sensor-based feedback system developed by Salzburg Research helps horse riders avoid postural errors. Another system brings luge professionals closer to the ideal line in the ice channel. A new algorithm automatically recognizes jumps in skiing in real time, improving training and performance assessment in professional and leisure settings. A mobile sensor system for gait analysis in everyday life enables remote support and better rehabilitation following leg amputations.

Salzburg Research analyzes human movement data and develops mobile sensor systems and smart sports equipment to enhance safety, performance, and rehabilitation.

Research questions:

In what ways can novel sensor technology be used to develop reliable and valid systems for analyzing human movement in laboratories and field settings?
How can sensor data be processed and interpreted to offer practical added value in health, sports, and industry, thus bridging the gap between science and application?