The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced today its intent to solicit interest from companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture and market an innovative technology for improving athlete performance.
Zeroing Out Negative Effects, or ZONE, is an innovative method for improving athletes’ responses to stress, anxiety and loss of concentration during competition. In the training environment, when the user successfully attains an optimal target state of psychophysiological functioning, the technology informs and/or rewards that user through real-time physical changes in the athletic equipment. For example, in the training setting, a golfer can work toward optimal concentration in the act of putting, leading to improved performance in real situations.
Although NASA’s description of the technology only makes reference to training, I see huge application within live environments as well. Once a trainer determines an athlete’s target state (a.k.a. baseline) then a coach could compare it to his or her in-game state to make better decisions. For example, in a late-inning game, a manager of an MLB team could in theory make a more informed decision about whether or not to pull a starting pitcher based on this new information.
What other in-game applications of this technology do you envision?
To learn more or express interest in this opportunity, email Sean.D.Sullivan@NASA.gov, or phone: 757-864-5055.