Innovative Technology Used in the Paralympics

As of earlier today, the 2024 Paris Paralympics is officially underway, becoming the 17th edition of the event. Initially known as the Stoke Mandeville Games, the first-ever Paralympic Games was hosted in Rome in 1960, with 400 participating athletes from 23 different countries.

More than 70 years down the line, this year’s event includes in excess of 4,400 participants from 167 different countries, as well as a Refugee Paralympic Team and an additional 96 athletes competing neutrally, mostly of whom hail from Russia and eight of whom are from Belarus.

Sport, in general, has changed and progressed in many different ways over the years, influencing both Olympic and Paralympic sports dramatically, and one of the greatest influences of change in sport has been advancements in technology.

General sporting tech has helped athletes improve their performance, introduce safety measures and provide better ways to track performance. One thing, however, that’s really stood out in Paralympic sport tech is the ways in which it’s contributed to improving accessibility to sport.

This change is emblematic of the event in itself which aims to make the world of competitive and professional sport accessible to all, albeit in different ways.

 

A Few of the Most Important Innovations in Tech Being Used in the Paralympics

 

There are plenty of ways in which technology is and has been used to improve sport across the board, but advanced tech plays an especially influential role in potentially levelling the playing field in many ways. This means making sports more inclusive for individuals who may otherwise not be able to participate due to physical limitations.

There are three main ways in which technology is being used to make professional competitive sports more fulfilling and accessible to all: they include advanced prosthetics, innovative wheelchair designs and modern sensor technology.

 

Advanced Prosthetics

 

The first modern prosthetics date back hundreds of years, with French surgeon Ambroise Paré having designed and created functional prosthetic limbs for injured soldiers returning from war in the 16th century.

The potential for prosthetic limbs (and other types of prosthetics too) has increased significantly since then, however, moving far beyond basic functionality and now actually helping people do incredible things that weren’t possible before.

Indeed, technology has allowed for not only improved designs of the actual physical prosthetic equipment but also the functionality of the prosthetics, including innovations that help improve the management of prosthetics and more.

Several types of technologies have helped the development and improvement of prosthetics, including innovations like high-energy return composite materials, computer-aided designs to achieve customised fits and incredible interfaces connecting athletes’ bodies to prosthetics, among other things.

For instance, specifically designed running prosthetics now allow runners of all distances to perform at high levels due to technological progress. Indeed, many modern running prosthetic manufacturers are creating carbon-fibre blades that actually replicate the function of a human calf and foot.

This design allows for a spring-like propulsion that gives athletes a range of movement that simply hasn’t been possible with previously rigid prosthetics in the past.

Furthermore, due to modern innovations in design and manufacturing, it’s become possible for completely customisable prosthetics to be made for specific athletes based on their bodies’ individual biomechanics. This allows for far better fit, more comfort and control and improved efficacy overall. Some modern designs are even using artificial intelligence technology.

 

 

Innovative Modern Wheelchair Designs

 

Although they first emerged about a century after modern prosthetics gained popularity, wheelchairs have been around for a fairly long time – since the 17th century, to be precise.

In fact, the first wheelchair, although slightly different to the ones we’re familiar with today, was invented by Stephan Farffler, a 22-year-old paraplegic watchmaker from Germany.

Since then, the mechanics involved in the design of wheelchairs has improved significantly, for both everyday use as well as active athletic use.

They’ve become faster, lighter and more aerodynamic, especially when compared to some of the earliest designs that were incredibly clunky and really good for no more than basic mobility. Although they were incredible at the time, there’s no denying that!

Modern designers have taken things to the next level, however, using advanced mechanics and engineering to create products that only allow individuals without the ability to walk (or with impaired ability to walk) to move independently but to engage in other recreational activities that simply haven’t been possible in the past.

By bringing together ergonomic design principles and modern materials, manufacturers have been able to create wheelchairs that are specifically designed to enable athletes to race, play various sports (like basketball, volleyball and so much more) and take part in field events, among other things.

Due to modern technology and innovative designs, athletes are able to have athletic wheelchairs built that are not only specifically suited to their preferred sport (from rugby to sprinting) but are also made to fit and work perfectly with and for their bodies.

Digital technology has also been integrated into modern athletic wheelchairs, sensors to pick up things like weight distribution and more in an attempt to improve performance by means of wheelchair mechanics and human ability.

 

Data Analysis and Sensor Technology 

 

Sensor technology is being used more and more across all sports, in both the Olympics and the Paralympics, allowing athletes’ performances to be tracked and monitored both in real-time as well as for post-performance analysis and review.

Indeed, sensor tech and data analysis can and has been incredibly useful for Paralympians in particular, especially those who have impairments with regard to specific senses, including eyesight. The data that sensors can detect is incredibly useful in helping athletes identify where improvements can be made, especially in cases in which they’re unable to identify such issues t face value due to their impairments.

 

Technology and Accessibility in the Paralympics

 

There are plenty of ways in which modern technology is helping Paralympic athletes compete at a high level, improving not only straightforward performance but also comfort.

Additionally, modern tech is also making the Paralympics more accessible to fans and spectators in ways that haven’t been possible in the past.

Most notably, this includes the introduction of things like audio descriptions of events, sign language interpretation and high-contrast visuals.

These additions to traditional broadcasting contribute to a broader goal of making the Paralympics more accessible to all viewers regardless of ability, and some are starting to be introduced to other international sporting events too.