Artificial Intelligence to Predict Sports Injuries

nakhla writes "MSNBC.com is running a story on how an Italian soccer team is using artificial intelligence to predict sports injuries. The team is working with Computer Associates to develop neural network technology that can be combined with daily tests of the athletes to determine patterns which occur right before a player gets injured. Of course, one has to assume that it wouldn't be able to predict a player getting kicked in the head in the middle of the game, resulting in a concussion." I was wondering how to tie a World Cup story into Slashdot. Congratulations to Senegal.

Comments

Problem?

[qslack]

What if the computer predicted that Michael Jordan would break his leg if he played one more game? It is certainly not 100% correct, so what would happen? Would the coach let him play and take the chance, or would they listen to the computer? What if they didn't heed the computer's warning and MJ broke his leg? Would he have grounds to sue?

Technology is supposed to solve problems, not create them. :)

Americans and soccer

[Ryne]

an Italian soccer team

ah gawd, AC Milan is one of the most famous teams in the world, maybe the name could be included in the article, not just an Italian soccer team.

Re:Americans and soccer

[martissimo]

i'm guessing that at least 9 out of 10 non-football fans wouldn't have a clue who AC Milan is. Almost anyone can recognize the meaning of "an Italian soccer team"

besides what is intersting about this article is not the team itself, its the way they are using the technology to attempt to predict future injuries.

PS wtg Senegal, go Azul!!!

preventative medicine

[happyclam]

One thing that everyone seems to be missing is that being able to predict injuries implies the ability to prevent them. Not through inaction but rather through preventative medicine such as physical therapy to strengthen certain muscles around a particularly dodgy ligament or something.

Such AI would also be useful in correcting improper training--if someone is slowly degrading their ankle/rotator cuff/lower vertebrae/what have you by doing something slightly wrong, such tests and analysis could predict the injury before it happens, allowing the coach/trainer to stop the athlete from doing that bad thing any more.

Source Code Excerpt

[apg]

Here's a portion of the AI code that was leaked:

if (player.runWith == "scissors") {
player.injury.type = "puncture wound";
}
else if (player.christmasGift = "Red Rider BB Gun") {
alert("You'll shoot your eye out.");
}