The Rise of Biometrics in Sports

Athletes-and the cadre of professionals who surround them-are always looking for an edge over their opponents. Advances in technology have now made a whole new class of information readily available to athletes, coaches, trainers, and even fans. It's called biometrics, the science of measuring and analyzing data collected from the body, such as heart rate or hormone levels.

Keeping Athletes Healthy

One area impacted by biometric data is athlete safety. For instance, biometric gloves [6] have been obligatory race wear for F1 drivers since 2019. The gloves are equipped with a pulse oximetry sensor to measure heart rate and blood oxygen during races. The data are transmitted directly from the cars to nearby medical teams, allowing them to monitor drivers’ vitals remotely during the race and access life-saving information in the event of an accident.