IIT Delhi & University of Exeter host symposium on sports & healthcare engineering

The Centre for Biomedical Engineering at IIT Delhi and the University of Exeter, UK, recently held the joint symposium on sports healthcare science and engineering. The two institutions had signed an MoU in January 2024 to explore synergies in areas of critical importance to India and the UK.

The symposium, held at IIT Delhi, aimed to foster collaboration between India and the UK in addressing critical challenges and opportunities in sports and healthcare, with a focus on leveraging engineering innovations to enhance athlete performance, injury prevention, and rehabilitation. The event featured keynote speeches, panel discussions, and technical sessions covering topics such as wearable technologies, biomechanics, sports injury management, and data-driven approaches to athlete health.

Prof Rangan Banerjee, Director, IIT Delhi, highlighted the importance of the partnership and underscored IIT Delhi’s growing interest in the areas of sports and healthcare engineering.

Brig Dr Bibhu Kalyan Nayak, Director, National Centre for Sports Science and Research, Sports Authority of India, pointed the need for close collaboration with IIT Delhi and international partners by establishing joint high-performance centers for the development of sports technology.

The symposium also featured several technology demonstrations including ultrasound-based human-machine interfaces; a robotic platform for testing footwear traction and a home rehabilitation robot developed by research groups at the Centre for Biomedical Engineering, IIT Delhi.

Prof Lisa Roberts, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Exeter, said, “As India looks to enhance its global sporting impact—and potentially host an Olympic Games in the future—we are thrilled to share our expertise and collaborate with IIT Delhi and Indian industry leaders to push the boundaries of sporting excellence.”