Orientation paper: R&D priorities for intense physical activity practice in the context of longer healthy life years for all
Following the Strategic Research and Innovation agenda, EPSI is elaborating its research and innovation priorities to be addressed through projects.
The members of EPSI have identified a list of research and innovation priorities to be addressed through projects to support a continuous massive adoption of healthier lifestyle through sport practice and maintaining the users as long as possible in their current or new sport activities in the best way possible (e.g. with the support of training, social and technological tools). Thus sustaining business development in the sport area.
The proposed roadmap consists on design of products, services and communication/information for the sport of ageing people as a tool to improve and preserve their health and wellness and also to prevent physical and psychological problems. We believe that the progress in those areas will benefit to the ageing population specifically but more generally to the whole population since it is driven by developing and adapting solutions to individual needs.
This roadmap allows focusing on specific relevant questions and finding meaningful and effective solutions to increase the physical activities for people over 50. First, it shows positive aspects and suggests specific problems this proposal is aimed to deal with. One key positive aspect being that ageing of population is the primary consequence of increased life expectancy and this is the outcome of a worldwide improvement of the quality of life. Secondly, the combination of emerging technologies (sensors, hardware and software digital technology, material’s technology etc.) allows developing a safer sport practice for people over 50 and improving the performances of existing sport equipment in terms of monitoring and control of the physical parameters to ensure a healthy way to do sport
The European Platform for Sport Innovation – EPSI – is a major player in achieving this roadmap because it will coordinate among its member’s activities in the sport area in order to increase the physical activity for the ageing people and will foster collaboration among the stakeholder all along the sport value chain and throughout Europe. EPSI will serve as a focal point in order to coordinate a wide range of activities at the national and EU level and will also make recommendations to the European Commission for including in its research agenda a wider consideration of the Sport domain. Gathering forces between among the value chain and sharing knowledge will help to better coordinate these initiatives.
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