EPSI conference 2012 – Workshop topics

The Consumer

To get successful sport goods it is necessary to satisfy the consumer needs and desires. In this sense, the introduction of the consumer view in the whole product development process (Consumer Empowerment) contributes to produce only what the consumer needs and values. Then incorporating emotional user needs increases the likelihood of consumers using or buying a product or service.
Consumer empowerment can not only be a source of competitiveness for consumer goods industry but also help to solve societal challenges or social trends like elderly, multicultural society or obesity.

Workshop titles:
1)  Personalisation
2)  User Lead Design

Materials and technologies

As athletes reach their bodies’ limits, sports design shines as the determining factor in performance. Modern technological milestones, such as nano-composite materials, allow for sports equipment that is lightweight, strong, and adaptive. Sports equipment increasingly possesses sensing capabilities, feeding information directly to the user, or performing other functions. As these new materials and technologies mature, they are being increasingly implemented in the production of products for both the professional, as well as the casual user, with strong economic and societal benefits.

Workshop titles:
1)  Nano-composites
2)  Smart sensing
3)  Lightweight design

Processes

The consumer could be ready to purchase basing not only on quality and value but also on the environmental impact. The consumer is nowadays more careful regarding the environment safeguard and the industry should be ready to promptly react in an univocal way to the consumers’ requirements in terms of information on environmental impact. In this sense it is necessary to create a unique and easily recognisable standard to evaluate the ‘ecosustainability degree’ of each product.

Workshop title:
Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment

Sports Information Systems

Sport practice has impacts at individual, community and societal levels. Monitoring of physical activity has then to be available and useful at these different levels. Sports products integrating not only smart transducers but also the ability to transfer, use and share information with communities and services through modern communication systems (smartphones , internet …) will offer complete solution from individual to society needs.

Workshop titles:
1)  Monitoring and optimization of physical activity
2)  Exchange of sport data with community