Conferences

Welcome to the 2nd Biomechanics in Sport and Ageing Symposium: Artificial Intelligence, organised by the Hungarian University of Sports Science and the Department of Kinesiology, Budapest, Hungary, 15–16 October 2024!

This symposium aims to provide a scientific platform for a state-of-the-art update on the progress of artificial intelligence, or AI, in sport biomechanics and ageing. Artificial intelligence relies on computers to execute commands that have historically required human intelligence. Now, we have apps that offer talking digital assistant services, respond to voice and text requests, answer questions, write poetry, generate images, draft emails, analyse personal photos, set a timer, or place a phone call. Indeed, as we can surmise from Turing’s seminal paper, AI creates computational units that mimic human intelligence and abilities, such as language, communication, comprehension of concepts, automated thinking, (machine) learning, computer vision, and movements via robotics (1). As a subset of AI, supervised or unsupervised machine learning, i.e., the science of coding computers to learn and behave as humans do, allows us to discern patterns and structure in data. Deep learning optimises supervised learning and trains models to learn how to map an input to an expected output (2). All of these are currently occurring at a breakneck pace, and as a result, “global governance is needed, otherwise the risk is social collapse”, opines Paolo Benanti, a Vatican and Italian government advisor on AI ethics.

The tools of AI are also becoming ubiquitous in sport biomechanics and ageing research. Sport and ageing might appear unrelated, yet we consider sport and ageing complementary, assessment and training methods developed in sport science are transformed into diagnosing and treating ageing-related impairments. Along the spectrum from low to high levels of physical and cognitive function, this symposium highlights how AI is leveraged to assess and increase top performance, predict motor and cognitive function, and ultimately deliver improved care for individuals from all walks of life, including athletes and seniors (3).

Accordingly, the lead keynote will introduce AI, and the following two keynotes will provide a state-of-the-art overview of AI in sport and ageing. From 6 countries, 12 invited area-expert speakers will provide (big) data-based examples of how AI is used in sport and ageing concerning body structure and exercise prescription; motor-cognitive function; injury and disease; and performance assessment and predictions in a workshop format.

Welcome to Budapest! Network, learn, and enjoy the symposium!

Sincerely yours,
Prof. Dr. Tamás Sterbenz, PhD, Rector and Patron of the symposium
Prof. Dr. h. c. Tibor Hortobágyi, PhD, Chair of the scientific committee
Mr. Dániel Mezei and Ms. Eszter Kerekes, Chairs of the organising committee

https://tf.hu/en/about-us/events/biomechanics-in-sport-and-ageing-symposium