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ASICS invites 2021 Noosa Triathlon competitors to trial facial scanning technology for wellness data

ASICS invites 2021 Noosa Triathlon competitors to trial facial scanning technology for wellness data
October 29, 2021

Global sports brand, ASICS, is this week inviting all competitors at the 2021 Noosa Triathlon Festival to take part in a live study which will use the Mind Uplifter™ to measure the impact of physical activity on mental health and wellbeing.

The Mind Uplifter™ uses a combination of facial scanning technology and self-report data collection. People will be able to capture the impact of movement across 10 emotional and cognitive metrics – including confidence, positivity, calm and focus – to see how different physical activities impact how they think and feel.

Uplifting Minds Research

This data will feed into a live global study, capturing individual Mind Uplift™ from across the Noosa Triathlon and visually transforming them into a dynamic and interactive World Uplift Map. The map will quantify the positive impact that sport is having on the collective mood of cities, nations and the world as a whole. Through the live study, ASICS will deepen its understanding of the relationship between movement and the mind on a global scale, underpinning its belief that sport has the power to uplift minds all over the world.

Speaking about the ASICS Mind Uplifter™, Olympian and seven-time Noosa Triathlon winner, Ashleigh Gentle notes “I’ve really enjoyed using the ASICS Mind Uplifter app. I have come to realise over the years that your optimal performance is not just about how physically fit you are, but also how you are feeling mentally.

“The app really helps capture the positive uplift movement has on my mental state and it’s incredible to see the difference that exercise makes on the mind, including your sense of wellbeing and contentment.”

General Manager Marketing ASICS Oceania, Simone Bushnell, advises “ASICS was founded on the positive power of sport and movement, that it can uplift us individually and as a community.

“As we all come to terms with a much-changed world in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen Australians turn to running and exercise to maintain both physical and mental health.

“The Noosa Triathlon Festival will be an Australian first in terms of using The Mind Upifter™ in a large-scale capacity with an expected 9000 competitors on the ground and we look forward to seeing the data post event.”

Underpinned by Science

Prior to the ASICS Mind Uplifter™ being released, ASICS conducted scientific research alongside world-leading experts to explore the impact of sport on the mind among a select group of athletes.

The preliminary study was developed by EMOTIV, a market-leading bioinformatics company headquartered in San Francisco, with the support of Dr Brendon Stubbs, a leading exercise and mental health researcher based at King’s College London. The study used a combination of EEG and self-report data collection to prove the positive impact of running on the mind across several core cognitive and emotional metrics – including contentment (14.4% average increase immediately after exercise), energy (9.7%) and relaxation (13.3%) * – among a sample of 42 elite and everyday athletes.

Now ASICS is robustly applying the findings in a way that will enable the rollout of the study on a global scale, enabling athletes everywhere to see and experience the impact of movement on the mind first-hand.

Dr Stubbs commented “our preliminary research findings outline the profound impact that something as simple as a 20-minute run can have on our minds. With exercise playing such a valuable role in the maintaining of our mental health and wellbeing, it is more important than ever that people can see and understand the positive link between the two. The unique way in which we are applying our initial findings using robust EEG measures, validating the Mind Uplifter™, will enable the translation of this research for people everywhere to experience and reliably measure the uplifting power of sport like never before. Our ambition is to inspire as many people as possible to move their mind and reap those all-important cognitive and emotional benefits for themselves.”

Join the Movement

To get involved, and join Australia’s first live study into the impact of movement on the mind:

1. GO to minduplifter.asics.com to capture your Mind Uplift.

2. SCAN your face to read your emotional state.

3. ANSWER scientifically developed questions to gauge your brain function.

4. COMPLETE at least 20 minutes of exercise to uplift your mind.

5. REPEAT steps two and three.

6. GET your Mind Uplift results and SHARE them on your social channels.

To find out more about ASICS’ mission to move one million minds visit: asics.com/uplift

Image top: Mind Uplifter™; image above courtesy Noosa Triathlon 

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