In the Olympic questions series, researchers from the University of Twente explore how technology, data and human behaviour come together in elite sport. The series offers a scientific perspective on what we see on the Olympic stage, and what it means beyond top-level performance. This story zooms in on a less visible but rapidly growing domain: interactive technology for sport and physical activity.
What does human-computer interaction mean for sport?
Human–Computer Interaction has long since moved beyond keyboards, your mouse, and laptop screens. It now encompasses interaction with the whole body. Think of a floor that responds to your jumps, a vibrating vest that provides steering cues, or a VR headset that lets you train virtually with teammates. Dennis Reidsma explains: “Technology is not the starting point, the moving human body is. It’s about what a system measures and when it provides feedback.”
Smart spaces that help you move better
Much of the research focuses on so‑called Rich Environments: intelligent training spaces that measure, influence, and improve movement. They reveal things you cannot see yourself. One example comes from climbing. A UT student designed an interactive climbing wall for beginners, who often tire too quickly to pay attention to technique. The system (using a camera, projector and a digital human model) shows how the body is being loaded. While the climber is on the wall, the system projects real‑time feedback onto the surface. If someone bends their arms too much, for instance, the projected arms turn red. The climber instantly sees why a movement is inefficient and can safely analyse the route from the ground without fatigue.
Why is sporting behaviour so complex?
Technology can reveal information you cannot perceive yourself and can add systematic, controlled variation to an exercise. This makes learning safer, quicker, and more accessible. Not only for athletes but also for people in rehabilitation. This research is only possible with a broad team. Reidsma says: “That is the strength of the University of Twente. We don’t work from a single lab, but through shifting collaborations across the university.” He mentions:
- Jasper Reenalda (BSS) – measuring and analysing movement
- Armağan Karahanoğlu (IxD) – sport data experiences and the relationship between humans and technology
- Dees Postma (HMI) – motor learning and sports psychology
- Robby van Delden (HMI) – design and evaluation of interaction
“And we collaborate with many more groups. Only with that mix of expertise can we genuinely study such complex matters”, says Reidsma. The field brings together movement sciences, game design, perception–action, psychology and sensing technology. Students, for example, developed boxing sensors that analyse force and rhythm. “Sporting behaviour is complex”, says Reidsma. “Technique, motivation, experience, and feedback all interact. That combination is what makes our field unique.”
How do people learn new movements?
Although technology plays a major role in elite sport, Reidsma sees significant value for amateurs and rehabilitation patients. “Elite athletes already have a whole support team. For others, we can genuinely make a difference.” Sports technology goes far beyond gadgets. “It revolves around questions such as: How do people learn new movements? How does motor learning work in digital environments? How does feedback influence motivation and confidence? What makes a training system effective? Technology reveals what the human eye cannot see. That’s why students learn not only how to build something, but above all why it works,” Reidsma says enthusiastically.
‘Why does technology make the difference here?'
This is the question Reidsma repeatedly gives to his students: Why does technology make the difference here? It applies to everyone: the amateur who wants to improve, the athlete who wants to train more safely, the rehabilitation patient relearning movement, and the elite competitor chasing that final percentage. These studies help shape the design principles for the training systems of the future. Ultimately, it comes down to something no Olympic medal measures: understanding how people learn to move.
