2019 | Sports Technology
Konstantin Sonkin , Founder and CEO
Yoav Zamir, Founder and Product
Elevating human performance with neurotechnology
Given that mastery comes after someone practices a skill for 10,000 hours, it is no surprise that athletes have such intensive training regimes. The critical process that occurs through repetitive physical training is the formation of stable and efficient motor plans - rewiring of the brain - that will later bring the action to perfection.
However, rigorous physical training is time-consuming, expensive, and can lead to injuries. Furthermore, when athletes are injured, there is no way for them to achieve the repetition required to maintain their fundamental skills. So, how can we directly train the brain without going on the field?
On a quest to make brain training accessible to millions, i-BrainTech applies scientifically proven neurotechnology to the sports arena. "During my academic research career, I worked with neurotechnology to help stroke victims regain mobility. When I left my academic position to become a full-time entrepreneur, I realized that the people that would get the most value from this technology were the individuals who were making a living off their mobility - professional athletes," says Konstantin Sonkin, co-founder of i-BrainTech. "I envisage a world where everyone including high school quarterbacks, orchestral musicians, and hospitalized stroke victims improve their capabilities by training with our solution."
The i-BrainTech solution is a video game that users control with their brain activity only. Based on over a decade of academic research, the SaaS solution translates a user’s imaginary movements into actions of an avatar, in a contextually-relevant video game. Users must successfully activate specific brain regions in order for their avatar to succeed.
In past pilots, i-BrainTech helped professional football players improve their ball speed and kick accuracy by over 30%, on average. The company has secured several upcoming pilots with leading professional clubs in Europe and the US.
Photos courtesy of i-BrainTech