Lero Research Ireland Centre for Software has teamed up with the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) and the Complex Software Lab at Trinity College Dublin to develop an AI system that can analyse rugby tackles to help improve players’ technique and reduce injuries.
The collaboration stems from the IRFU’s decision to lower the tackle height in the domestic game to improve safety. The aim is to gain insights from AI analysis to help identify whether this change is impacting player welfare and the overall game.
“Our research is focused on developing AI that can understand the complexities of rugby tackles,” said Prof Anthony Ventresque, project lead and director of the Complex Software Lab.
“By analysing large amounts of video data, we can identify patterns and trends that may not be apparent to the human eye. This information can be used to develop targeted training programs to improve tackle technique and player safety.”
The issue of player safety is often discussed in the heavy contact sport of rugby, with former players coming forward to discuss long-term conditions such as dementia as a result of on-field injuries.
A recent study by the project team examined tackle techniques in the women’s game and found that many tackles lacked full completion of World Rugby’s recommended techniques, highlighting the need for interventions to reduce injury risks.
The IRFU’s medical manager Dr Caithríona Yeomans said this project will be helpful in enhancing player welfare. “By understanding the mechanics of tackles and identifying areas for improvement, we can help players develop safer and more effective techniques,” she said.
“The collaboration with Lero and the Complex Software Lab at Trinity College Dublin is invaluable in our ongoing efforts to make rugby a safer sport for all.”
As well as highlighting links between technique and safety, as noted by project researcher Dr Kathryn Dane, who represented Ireland in rugby at senior level, the team also hopes their analyses will lead to improvements in the game.
“I believe this research can help players at all levels improve their tackling skills and contribute to a more exciting and dynamic game,” said Will Connors, a PhD researcher on the project, who also represented Ireland in rugby, at senior, U20 and sevens levels.
The team plan to make any research findings available to coaches and players at all levels of the sport.
How’s that for a try?
The sport-tech scene is on a winning run in Ireland. Recently, competitive Irish Olympic weightlifter turned entrepreneur Emma Meehan spoke to SiliconRepublic.com about founding her start-up, Precision Sports Technology, which uses AI and 3D technologies to help people improve their exercise techniques and reduce injury risks.
While, just last month, NovaUCD’s Output Sports, which develops wearable tech to analyse athletic performance, closed a $4.8m pre-A funding round to further product development and expand into the US.
And Sports Impact Technologies has developed a small device to tackle the issue of concussions in sport. The device can fit behind a person’s hear and record the impact of head collisions.
“Concussion is an ongoing issue in sports and unfortunately five in 10 concussions go unreported or undetected,” founder Eóin Tuohy said. “Our mission is to make these undetected concussions a thing of the past.”
Rebecca Graham
This article originally appeared on www.siliconrepublic.com and can be found here.
The collaboration stems from the IRFU’s decision to lower the tackle height in the domestic game to improve safety. The aim is to gain insights from AI analysis to help identify whether this change is impacting player welfare and the overall game.
“Our research is focused on developing AI that can understand the complexities of rugby tackles,” said Prof Anthony Ventresque, project lead and director of the Complex Software Lab.
“By analysing large amounts of video data, we can identify patterns and trends that may not be apparent to the human eye. This information can be used to develop targeted training programs to improve tackle technique and player safety.”
The issue of player safety is often discussed in the heavy contact sport of rugby, with former players coming forward to discuss long-term conditions such as dementia as a result of on-field injuries.
A recent study by the project team examined tackle techniques in the women’s game and found that many tackles lacked full completion of World Rugby’s recommended techniques, highlighting the need for interventions to reduce injury risks.
The IRFU’s medical manager Dr Caithríona Yeomans said this project will be helpful in enhancing player welfare. “By understanding the mechanics of tackles and identifying areas for improvement, we can help players develop safer and more effective techniques,” she said.
“The collaboration with Lero and the Complex Software Lab at Trinity College Dublin is invaluable in our ongoing efforts to make rugby a safer sport for all.”
As well as highlighting links between technique and safety, as noted by project researcher Dr Kathryn Dane, who represented Ireland in rugby at senior level, the team also hopes their analyses will lead to improvements in the game.
“I believe this research can help players at all levels improve their tackling skills and contribute to a more exciting and dynamic game,” said Will Connors, a PhD researcher on the project, who also represented Ireland in rugby, at senior, U20 and sevens levels.
The team plan to make any research findings available to coaches and players at all levels of the sport.
How’s that for a try?
The sport-tech scene is on a winning run in Ireland. Recently, competitive Irish Olympic weightlifter turned entrepreneur Emma Meehan spoke to SiliconRepublic.com about founding her start-up, Precision Sports Technology, which uses AI and 3D technologies to help people improve their exercise techniques and reduce injury risks.
While, just last month, NovaUCD’s Output Sports, which develops wearable tech to analyse athletic performance, closed a $4.8m pre-A funding round to further product development and expand into the US.
And Sports Impact Technologies has developed a small device to tackle the issue of concussions in sport. The device can fit behind a person’s hear and record the impact of head collisions.
“Concussion is an ongoing issue in sports and unfortunately five in 10 concussions go unreported or undetected,” founder Eóin Tuohy said. “Our mission is to make these undetected concussions a thing of the past.”
Rebecca Graham
This article originally appeared on www.siliconrepublic.com and can be found here.
