Long-distance runners know that endurance is only part of the equation when it comes to training and improving race results.
In fact, long-distance running is a fairly technical and strategic sport in which pace must be optimised for every step. As a result, it’s a sport which is being transformed by technology.
AI applications for runners
“In the coming years, there is enormous potential for technology to improve running results, reduce recovery times, and make the sport more engaging than ever before,” says Frank Diana, Managing Partner & Principal Futurist at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the title partner of the London Marathon.
“Rapid advancements such as nanobots and AI-driven ‘digital twins’ will make planning for long-distance races even easier, by using real-time data to monitor everything from heart rate to health conditions using in-body monitoring devices,” he adds.
One day, nanobots – tiny robots the size of a molecule – will be used to monitor any health condition with thermal, optical, chemical or biological markers.
“Data from the nanobots’ sensors will provide real-time information about a runner’s heart rate, oxygen levels, muscle fatigue, and more,” says Diana.
This information could be used to adjust a runner’s training…
