Technology & Life Sciences

Sledding is one of the marginal sports worldwide, but has been popular in the DACH region for centuries. For generations, the geometry of wooden sledges has been optimized through frequent testing of the experience gained. By pulling in new materials, especially the fiber-reinforced plastic, the weight of an existing sledge could be reduced by approx. 50% in the Lightweigth Supersledge project. Now the fast sports sledge weighs only 4 kg and offers considerable advantages compared to the classic wooden sledge from both a sporting and logistical point of view.

Tyrol is confronted with the worsening problem that space is a very scarce commodity. This challenge is exacerbated in many educational institutions by large seasonal differences in utilization. The demand for laboratory space is very high for a few weeks and months of the year and low during the rest of the year (e.g. vacations). From an economic and social perspective, the utilization of laboratory space is therefore suboptimal and can only be improved to a limited extent through good planning. From a teaching point of view, the limitation so far is that the laboratories are only available and usable for pupils and students at certain times. Laboratory equipment is usually cost-intensive and cannot be given to pupils and students without an associated training course. The perspective of scheduling and space is complicated by scheduling overlaps and the availability of lab equipment. For these problems, the Virtual Open Lab can provide a nationwide solution. Virtual labs are often proposed in this context as a solution to the problem. However, with the virtual labs available to date, the problem is often only displaced. Almost without exception, specially drawn virtual environments are created for virtual labs. As a rule, there are considerable differences between the laboratory equipment, appearance, practice possibilities, etc. in the virtual space and those in the real laboratory. As a result, lower learning success and reduced benefits are to be expected for teaching staff, pupils and students. This is where the Virtual Open Lab comes in. The central goal of this initiative is to build a virtual laboratory that reproduces the real conditions of a laboratory as closely as possible. To this end, photogrammetry will be used to transfer real laboratories as accurately as possible into three-dimensional virtual models so that the virtual space differs as little as possible from the real laboratory. In a second step, the virtual model will be equipped with appropriate properties so that the interaction of a virtual laboratory user with objects in the room becomes possible. As shown above, a Virtual Open Lab will be created in a two-step project. Step one will begin with the virtualization of laboratory space. As a pilot project, both a laboratory at the HTL Anichstraße and one at the MCI will be virtualized. Since such laboratories have never been virtualized in this way before, we can only refer to related projects at this point. In the retail sector, for example, the Nike store in Milan was virtualized. At the MCI, there is previous experience in the field of virtualization projects, e.g. the ski tour downhill at the Ampferstein in the Axamer Lizum, or the development of a virtual patient for surgery simulation. In the second phase of the project, the model must be transferred into a virtual world that has basic physical laws and is as close as possible to the real laboratory environment. In each case, minimal examples are to be implemented in the laboratories first. Examples of this would be to build simple electronic circuits and to test cutting an object with scissors or even jumping on a force plate.

The aim of this cooperative project is to develop a heatable glove for emergency organizations that combines the application properties of a work glove with the thermal properties of a heatable glove. This should enable alpine emergency forces to better carry out their tasks (from caring for the injured to accident investigations by the alpine police). In cooperation with Zanier and Aberjung, a new type of product can be developed for the market that is optimally tailored to the needs of customers.

Video distance measurement in ski jumping is carried out via direct measurement of the landing area or digitally by an operator. It is the task of the operator, who monitors the landing zone of the ski jumper with up to four cameras, to manually confirm the touchdown of each jump. The operator then selects the relevant camera for this landing and continues to view the video sequence of the landing frame by frame. The goal is to select the frame in the video sequence where the ski jumper fully touches the ground with both skis to determine the jump distance. To do this, the operator selects the point between the heel of the front boot and the toe of the rear foot to use software to calculate the jumped distance. This distance can be determined to within 0.5 meters based on the camera recording at 50 fps. An automation of the described steps for video distance measurement should serve to support the operator in his work and thus improve the reliability of the system. Through the development of such a system, further advantages for the ski jumping sport can be gained. These were mainly initialized by the professional input of the former ski jumper Thomas Hofer, who sees an automated video width measurement in training situations as an enormous progress for athletes and coaches. The current measurement method in training sessions is a purely visual measurement of the distance by the coach. Automation and digitalization can provide athletes with much more accurate feedback and thus a greater opportunity to improve their jumps. Thus, not only professional sports but also junior and youth sports can benefit from a software solution. In addition to measuring distances, it is important to be able to objectively determine the athletes' posture scores. This is confirmed, among others, by the declarations of support from the ÖSV national team, the ÖSV and the Schigymnasium Stams. This objective analysis of the posture scores is described as particularly relevant and as an effective training tool for improving posture scores. In combination with the automated distance measurement, a more accurate assessment of the athletes' overall performance is thus possible.

The goal of this cooperation project is to develop a performance tracker for the fun sports sector. This should create the basis for building platforms similar to Runtastic or Strava for many different types of fun sports. The key to this basic technology is the combination of motion sensors with a neural network. In the course of the project, data from skaters of different ages, levels and genders will be recorded at many different locations. From this data the neural network will be developed to evaluate a trick. Due to the cooperation with xdouble and Stefan Ebner, the project is very broadly positioned and can therefore optimally master corporate, scientific but also training-related challenges.

The goal of the Optimal Start project is to develop a prototype training tool for the start of luge. The tool will synchronize data from an existing motion capturing system with a video and display them together. Thus, individual errors of the athlete at the start should not only be visible in the signal, but also visually show the athlete his respective body pose. It is hoped that the tool will provide much more direct feedback to the athletes, which is also better for their development.

The aim of this qualification network is to provide selected multipliers of the participating corporate partners in tourism with primarily evidence-based knowledge - based on relevant and high-quality research - as well as practical skills in the areas of physical activity and health behaviour and digitisation. Sports and health tourism has experienced constant growth in recent years. Quality is particularly important in this area, as it is the human health that is at stake. In order to guarantee this quality in the individual (tourism) companies and to be able to react competitively to the ongoing digitalisation, the qualification network E-PAST is being developed. The scientific partners of UIBK, UMIT, MCI and MUI will pass on their knowledge in various modules to selected multipliers (in particular the heads of the respective health, exercise, spa and wellness resorts including their employees) of the companies. Participation in two six-day basic modules is obligatory, while up to six further two-day modules can be attended to deepen and specialise. Through the theoretical and practical mediation of experts from the respective subject areas, who are highly competent both professionally and didactically, the sustainability of the knowledge transfer is guaranteed. The modules are intended to convey basic principles and current research findings in the fields of health and digitisation, to develop practical guidelines for working with guests and to provide digital applications with which sustainable health effects can be achieved beyond the guests' stay. In addition to the direct influence of the knowledge gained on the implementation and transfer to the tourist guests in their own companies, the E-PAST qualification network promotes the cooperation of all partners involved and can therefore lead to further research projects, especially in the field of digitisation.

The goal of the project is on the one hand to develop an app and the underlying hardware, on the other hand to gain scientific knowledge in the field of sports science in American football. With the core functionalities of the app, it should be possible to send training machines appearances and commands on the basis of evaluable data.