A Narrative Review of the Link between Sport and Technology

Abstract

Background: Research on the application of technology in sports in Romania is completely lacking, and the existing studies at the international level have mainly been carried out in recent years. We considered it appropriate to highlight the best practice models of technology application in sports that can be multiplied, adapted, improved, and widely used. The paper aims to identify the use of technology and devices in sports, with an emphasis on their role in training and competitions with the aim of improving sports performance, to provide sports specialists, organizations, and authorities with a wide range of information regarding the connection between sport and technology. The results obtained regarding the application of technology in sports refer mainly to the following: techniques and technologies used in training and competition (portable localization technology and global positioning systems (GPS); Virtual Reality (VR) technology; video analysis; digital technologies integrated into sports training); aspects of sports training targeted through the use of technology (use of technology for athlete health, recovery, and injury management; use of technology for monitoring sports performance and various body indicators); training optimization and ecological dynamics and the sustainable development of sports. Conclusions: Unitary research, at a European or even global level, in a uniform theoretical and practical framework, could lead to much more efficient training with large increases in sports performance. The coaches and specialists working with the athlete determine the specificity of some elements of the training, depending on the characteristics of each athlete. Large clubs could become a factor in generating and disseminating knowledge related to training and competition monitoring, sports performance enhancement, and health, recovery, and injury management. Research directions for the use of technology in sport and the formation of connections with other fields can be extended. For example, combined technologies assisted by specialized software can be used. Creativity must be the starting point for the use and combination of existing technologies in sports and for the creation of new ones. Their creation and use involve the teamwork of athletes, coaches, and specialists from different fields, such as sports, physiology, psychology, biomechanics, informatics, etc.

Characteristics of Modern Technologies in the Training and Competitive Process of Elite Athletes in Sports Games

“…Sports genomics, a burgeoning scientific discipline, identifies genetic variants influencing success in specific sports, aiding talent identification and development [29]. The integration of wearable technology, such as heart rate monitors and sleep trackers, has become instrumental in monitoring athlete health, recovery, and performance [4].…”

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“…Furthermore, in view of the evolution of the European Union's approach to environmental issues, some Cuntries with post-war Constitutions -which did not include environmental regulations, unlike the more recent ones (such as the 1978 Spanish one with specific provisions) -reformed them, introducing provisions for environmental protection. This happened in the Netherlands in 1983, in Germany in 1994, in France in 2005 Italy in 2022 7 . In this regard, it must be said that Italy introduced the protection of ecological elements into Constitution only in 2022 but, under the impetus of European policies and regulations, the principle of the value of environmental protection had already been constitutionalised by its Constitutional Court.…”

“…The author suggests that defining grooming as a preparatory of sexual abuse causes a dilemma, namely that sexual grooming is seen as only "preparatory" to an offense or a sexual act and not as an offense or a sexual act in itself. 7 Explanatory Report -CETS 201 -Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, 23.-156, p. 23. https://rm.coe.int/16800d3832 Retrieved June 10, 2023, from 8 "Educator sexual predators" as an offender of grooming, see Coetzee (2023) at 18 ff. 9 Hui, Xin & Khader (2015) at 40.…”

Improving Agility and Reactive Agility in Basketball Players U14 and U16 by Implementing Fitlight Technology in the Sports Training Process

“…The implementation of technologies in the sports training process by adapting exercises can determine the optimization of sports performance with a focus on improving reaction time, coordination, and ability to transform movements in relation to the technical requirements and dynamics of the basketball game [32][33][34]. In the last decade, light technologies and specialized intelligent sensors have appeared with applicability in basketball aimed at monitoring the physical and technical parameters of the players, among which we identify the following: Fitlight, BlazePod, and XLiGHT [35][36][37]. Comparing Fitlight technology with the other BlazePod and XLiGHT simulation technologies with applicability in basketball, we consider that the advantages would be ergonomics; reliability of the software; the irreplaceability and duration of the batteries; functional capabilities of the sensor (signal response); uploading, storing and synchronizing data; the availability of spot packages in sets of 4, 8, and 24 (the other systems have a maximum of eight sports); and the colorful variety of spot lighting (eight colors) compared to the other systems that only have two colors [34,[37][38][39].…”

“…In the last decade, light technologies and specialized intelligent sensors have appeared with applicability in basketball aimed at monitoring the physical and technical parameters of the players, among which we identify the following: Fitlight, BlazePod, and XLiGHT [35][36][37]. Comparing Fitlight technology with the other BlazePod and XLiGHT simulation technologies with applicability in basketball, we consider that the advantages would be ergonomics; reliability of the software; the irreplaceability and duration of the batteries; functional capabilities of the sensor (signal response); uploading, storing and synchronizing data; the availability of spot packages in sets of 4, 8, and 24 (the other systems have a maximum of eight sports); and the colorful variety of spot lighting (eight colors) compared to the other systems that only have two colors [34,[37][38][39]. Compared to Fitlight, the use of BlazePod and XLiGHT technology in the process of evaluating physical abilities presents an instability in the interaction response time; Fitlight sensors have the fastest data auto-download time, etc.…”