In one week today, the tech community will be gathering across the city of Bath for the highly anticipated Bath Digital Festival (BDF). For a second year in a row, techSPARK has curated the three-day event.
We’ve chosen Sports & Life Sciences, Space and Cities as our themes this year. They are themes to inspire new conversations, so be creative, get involved, and let’s have an amazing festival in 2024!
Up first on the bill is Sports and Life Sciences. Bath has become synonymous with physiological innovation, being home to a renowned Rugby team and a world class research university, so it felt like a no brainer to be highlighting these achievements at BDF 2024. From data analytics improving Team GB’s Olympic athletes to Boxing match holograms and detecting glucose levels through the skin, our tech is driving the world of sport and life sciences forward, and we can’t wait to delve in.
For each day of the festival, we’re selecting three unmissable events to get you excited for what’s in store next week! A huge thank you goes to our fantastic Sports and Life Sciences Day Patron, the University of Bath.
Sport & Life Sciences Breakfast
- When: Tuesday 14 May 2024 | 08:00 – 09:30
- Where: Newark Works, 2 Foundry Lane Bath BA2 3DZ
The very first event of the Bath Digital Festival will be Innovate UK’s Sports and Life Sciences breakfast session. We’re super excited to be “kicking off” Tuesday morning with this thought-provoking discussion, setting the tone for an engaging week of generating ideas and all important conversations.
This session will bring together tech industry leaders, professionals, students and enthusiasts to explore the vibrant tech talent landscape in our region – these are open to anyone working in tech or interested in tech.
Taking place across each day of the festival, these breakfasts will focus on a topic from the day’s theme and the wider community conversation. Today for Sport and Life Sciences we’re looking at the impact of elite sports on us all, the future of the Olympics, and what augmentation means.
Proudly sponsored by Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
The Power of the Mind
- When: Tuesday 14 May 2024 | 11:30 – 12:30
- Where: Carpenter House, Broad Quay Bath BA1 1UB
“Sport psychology has been a game-changer for me. Learning to stay focused, manage pressure, and control my emotions has made a significant impact on my performance. It’s not just about potting balls; it’s about mastering the mind,” says Ronnie O’Sullivan.
Psychology isn’t just for the pros on the field; it’s for everyone. It helps top athletes break records and the rest of us break through our everyday hurdles. It’s all about getting our minds in the game, whether we’re going for gold or just going through the day.
A discussion led by Becky Sage will review how technology is increasingly supporting sports psychology – exploring the balance between body and mind and the changes in approach to supporting mental health,and what we can all learn from sports coaching.
This is more than mindfulness, takes it a step beyond the higher profile meditation apps you might already be using, and could change the way we all work and live – just as the activity tracker started in elite sports and ended up on all our wrists how will this improve our lives in the next few years?
Thank you to our sponsors University of Bath and FWD
The Future of Sport Debate
- When: Tuesday 14 May 2024 | 13:30 – 14:30
- Where: Newark Works, 2 Foundry Lane Bath BA2 3DZ
Will the Olympics be in the Metaverse in 2044 (or sooner)?
In the heart of this discussion lies the evolution and credibility of esports, a phenomenon that has not only captivated a global audience but also reshaped our understanding of competitive sports in the digital age.
The economic landscape of hosting the Olympics is becoming increasingly daunting, with the costs spiraling to levels that challenge the feasibility and sustainability of the event for host cities – the Commonwealth Games are being cancelled and sports funding is being squeezed.
This session will delve into how the metaverse could offer a financially viable and environmentally friendly alternative, potentially transforming the way we conceive and experience the Olympics.
Would the integration of the Olympics into the metaverse reignite global interest and engagement, offering interactive and immersive experiences that stand out from the conventional sports viewing model? Or is this a terrible idea and we should focus on doing what we can to keep sport in real life?
Join us for this dynamic exploration of what the next two decades could hold for one of the oldest and most revered sporting events in human history.
Thank you to our sponsor Foot Anstey.
