| Research Communities |

Heart

Health Empowering Activities and Responsive Technology

Heart is at the forefront of investigating the feasibility and efficacy of physical exercise, focusing on healthy aging and chronic diseases such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. Through a combination of responsive AI-based technologies and methodological approaches, our work encompasses a broad spectrum of health dimensions, including cardiac function, vascular health, immune function, inflammation, and cognitive function. Our research extends beyond understanding the effects of exercise to explore critical clinical outcomes such as treatment success, hospital admissions, mortality rates, and health-related costs. Moreover, our endeavors delve into preventing functional decline, dementia, and frailty in older adults through personalized exercise prescription and monitoring. By harnessing AI technologies, we aim to broaden access to safe and personalized home-based exercise interventions, particularly for underserved and vulnerable populations. Furthermore, our research intersects with the understanding of behavioral mechanisms crucial for successful exercise engagement, including motivation, persistence, and adherence. Key goals include the implementation and evaluation of AI-based technologies to improve delivery, adherence, and efficacy of remote and supervised exercise interventions among individuals with chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and dementia. Aligned with the 2030 agenda for sustainable development, our research initiatives at CIDESD are deeply rooted in promoting physical and mental health, as well as overall well-being, for all individuals. Central to this commitment is our endeavor to alleviate the burden of chronic diseases through preventive measures and effective treatment strategies. To achieve these goals, CIDESD remains actively engaged in various initiatives and collaborations, such as the program for the Promotion of Physical Activity (DGS- PNPAF) and the National Program of Sport for All (IPDJ). By participating in these programs, CIDESD contributes to national efforts aimed at encouraging physical activity and fostering healthier lifestyles among the population. We collaborate with key partners such as the NIHR-Leicester Biomedical Research Centre (UK), the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine (UK), the Department of Health Sciences, and the NIH-National Institute on Aging (US) to explore novel evidence- based interventions that address the complex interplay between physical activity, health outcomes, and cognitive functioning.


Elite

Enhanced Learning and Integrated Training for Excellence

Leading the charge in advancing training methodologies, cutting-edge technologies, and pedagogical approaches for enhancing youth and elite sports performance, ELITE delves deep into creativity development, differential learning, and non-linear pedagogy. Central to this pursuit is the development of innovative methodologies grounded in complexity science and dynamical systems, fortified by AI, to capture the nuanced behaviors of players and teams. ELITE is committed to integrated training for excellence, utilizing AI to construct finely-tuned models of sports performance integrating various factors. This enables predictive analysis of human movement and sports performance, facilitating optimization of techniques and assessment of inefficiencies. ELITE’s research extends to training monitoring, employing wearable technology and AI-driven analysis to inform training strategies and foster continuous athlete development. Key goals include developing an AI web-based platform for analyzing team sports data, elevating the Skills4Genius program to an international educational reference, and implementing novel training processes for individual sports performance.