The Mission

Recent research has shown that ultrathin, flexible diamond membranes produce an electrical response when bent, something long thought impossible for diamond. We want to use this effect in a wearable sports sensor where the athlete’s own movement generates electrical signals, and those signals become the data. By placing sensors at multiple points on the body, we can create a mechanical signature of how an athlete moves, revealing patterns such as differences between legs, changes due to fatigue, or recognizable signatures for different sporting movements. For our proof of concept, we will use an accessible piezoelectric film and propose ultrathin diamond as the future material.

The Challenge

Athletes and coaches need detailed insight into biomechanics to improve performance and prevent injuries, but current wearables are often bulky, dependent on batteries, and limited in what they measure. Subtle issues, such as imbalances between legs or changes in landing technique as fatigue sets in, are hard to detect during normal training.

The solution

We propose a thin, flexible wearable that uses piezoelectric material to convert movement directly into electrical signals. These signals reflect things like knee bend angle, movement speed, walking versus running, jump impact, and repetition counts. The data is processed into biomechanical patterns and translated into feedback for the athlete. We will first build a working prototype with an existing piezoelectric film, with ultrathin diamond as the long-term material for a lighter, more durable, and more comfortable sensor.