As an athlete, I am very interested in improving my skills and abilities primarily through physical training. My interview with Lara Weed enlightened me on advancements in research using technology to measure and enhance performance.
Lara Weed is a Bioengineering PhD student at Stanford University. She is currently performing research on the characterization and optimization of human health rehabilitation in performance using wearable physiological and biomechanical sensors. She writes algorithms for wearable sensors similar to Fitbit, however, her focus is on research grade devices that use higher sampling rates and higher data quality. Lara’s interest in biomechanics began at an early age. She was involved in gymnastics as a child and she gradually became more interested in human performance and biomechanics.
Lara Weed works with both biomechanical data and physiological data. Biomechanical data measures acceleration and angular velocity and physiological data measures factors such as heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure and glucose. These two types of data combined provide significant insight into human performance and abilities. Lara Weed is co-advised by two researchers that focus on circadian rhythms (sleep patterns, alertness etc.) and biomechanics including neuromuscular functions and disorders. She has studied differences in elite athletes as well as individuals with mobility limitations caused by Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
Key Takeaways: Some of the key things I learned during my conversation are noted below.
Wearable Sensors: The technology for wearable sensors has improved significantly over the past few years. The batteries supporting these sensors have become so small that they can be placed in almost any size of wearable sensor and worn on any part of the body e.g. the wrist, chest etc. This allows the wearable sensors to be remotely monitored by researchers outside of a lab setting. Researchers are able to monitor both biomechanical and physiological data from individuals in real world settings.
Human Performance Alliance and the Digital Athlete Project: This is a multi-institutional initiative studying peak performance in athletes in order to facilitate the health and well-being of all individuals. Stanford is specifically focused on the Digital Athlete Project, a project that is recreating a digital model of a human in order to understand causes of injury and ways to optimize injury recovery. The project uses a motion capture (MoCap) system to digitally record human movement. In this system white “ping-pong ball-like” sensors are place on bony landmarks to calculate joint kinematics and evaluate how ones’ movement changes and develops over time. Electromyography is also used to evaluate electrical activity of muscles and can find asymmetry in muscle activity which may indicate injury risk.
The Female Athlete Project: While most participants in the digital athlete project are male, there is a separate focus on the female athlete. The Female Athlete Project focuses on hormonal differences between men and women and other factors such as differences in performance in females during their menstrual cycle.
Role of Genetics in Athletics: There are multiple factors that affect performance including genetics and environmental factors. Some genetic traits, particularly the strength of muscles and the type of fibers that make up the muscles can determine an individual’s athletic ability. There are two main genes ACTN3 and ACE, that code for proteins in muscles that are linked to speed and power in fast twitch muscles. These genes are closely associated with athletic performance and determine the type of fibers that make up muscles. Additionally, genetics could indicate whether or not an athlete is prone to injury e.g. an individual’s connective tissue or cartilage could be more prone to injury. For women, hormonal changes could increase their likelihood of injury.
Role of Technology: Technology has had a significant impact on athletic performance. As athletes have gotten better, their equipment, training, and technology have improved as well. For example, in the nineteenth century, tracks were made out of grass, dirt, and cinder: conditions that are not ideal for running. Today, tracks are made of synthetic rubber, ideal for foot flexion and mobility. Today, athletes wear wearable sensors that track performance in real time, making it easy for a trainer to keep track of an athletes’ metrics, thus helping to improve movement, communication and reduce injuries.
Sweat Sensors: In the future, we can expect to see more sweat sensors that measure hydration, electrolytes and metabolism. These sensors may even have the ability to sense glucose in sweat and could potentially replace the current technology that requires needle pricks.
Digital Biomarker: According to the Karger Journal, “Digital biomarkers are defined as objective, quantifiable physiological and behavioral data that are collected and measured by means of digital devices such as portables, wearables, implantables, or digestibles.” We can expect to see a rise in the use of digital biomarkers as consumers utilize digital tools including their phones, the internet and social media, leaving digital footprints that provide a wealth of information to healthcare providers and researchers.
Advice: Ms. Weed encouraged me to find my passion and to explore other tangential fields of study as those areas could help me identify what I am not necessarily interested in pursuing.
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