TCS to Use Digital Twin Technology to Help Boost Performance, Heart Health for First Nations Australian Athletes

The Future Athlete Project’, a groundbreaking program by Tata Consultancy Services at the intersection of sports and digital twin technology, will be deployed for four Australian athletes to discover pioneering insights into heart health and performance

SYDNEY | AUSTRALIA, SEPTEMBER 18, 2024: Tata Consultancy Services(TCS) (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS), a global leader in IT services, consulting, and business solutions, announced the expansion of the innovative Future Athlete Project to Australia, in its first year as the title partner of the TCS Sydney Marathon presented by ASICS. As part of this project, TCS will create digital twins for the hearts of four First Nations Australian Athletes competing in the race to help enhance their performance and unlock insights on heart health.

In the first year as title sponsor, TCS saw over 40,000 people, from across the globe participate in the iconic Sydney Marathon. To further bolster the stature of the marathon, TCS will help advance personalised health and wellness through its Future Athlete Project. Debuted at the 2023 TCS New York City Marathon, the project introduced a virtual replica of two-time Olympian and Boston Marathon champion Des Linden’s heart. TCS is now extending this technology to a diverse group of runners globally. Created by integrating personalized data with 3D cardiac models, the Future Athlete Project deploys digital twin technology to track heart rate, heart pumping duration, change in cardiac output relative to running pace, and change in blood flow relative to the intensity of a workout, among other insights. It allows simulations and identifies potential areas to optimize athletic performance and recovery.

Michelle Taylor, Global Head of Sports Sponsorships, TCS, said, "TCS’s Future Athlete Project integrates advanced technologies like AI and digital twins with data to drive innovation and solve global challenges. Through personalized heart insights, our goal is not only to help people improve their training, performance, and recovery, but their overall health and quality of life too. We're excited to see how digital twins can help athletes train smarter, perform better, and ultimately improve health outcomes."

Heart disease is a leading cause of death worldwide. In Australia, the heart disease mortality rate among Indigenous Australians is 1.5 times higher than that of non-Indigenous Australians due to considerable disparities. The digital twin technology has the potential to positively influence future healthcare outcomes.

TCS Sydney Marathon Indigenous Ambassador, Indigenous Marathon Program graduate, Future Athlete Project participant and Wiradjuri woman, Hayley Pymont, said, “Running reshaped the course of my life and I am privileged to be able to use my love of running to drive positive change in my community. Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death among Aboriginal and Torres Islander people, causing 1 in 10 deaths. Becoming part of the Future Athlete Project, a program that has the potential to stretch beyond running and revolutionize heart health, and even the entire healthcare sector, is a meaningful next step in my journey.”

Indigenous Marathon Foundation founder, four times Olympian and former world marathon champion, Rob De Castella AO MBE, said, “Runners who finish a marathon, have pushed themselves past pre-conceived boundaries and emerge as beacons of inspiration with a sense of self-belief and pride, confident they can do anything. The Indigenous Marathon Foundation aims to showcase Indigenous Australia to the rest of the world, to empower Indigenous people to be leaders and to help support the existence of healthy empowered Indigenous communities across the country. It is a privilege to see graduates of our programs continue to inspire and champion health for their community. And, if by being part of the ground-breaking program by TCS happens to lead to Australian Indigenous runners dominating the world athletic scene, it’s a win-win”.

Key outputs of digital twin heart technology for the Future Athlete Program participants include:

Simulating endless scenarios—by rehearsing the future in the digital world, athletes can prepare for peak performance in the real world, no matter the race day conditions.
Identifying safe maximum heart rates and testing the effects of different medications to optimize training safely.
Preventing overtraining with personalized recovery insights.
Collaborating with coaches and medical teams to assess and fine-tune conditions for optimal performance and wellbeing.

TCS sponsors 14 global running events with participation from over 600,000 runners, and the expansion of the Future Athletes Project to Australia is a symbol of TCS’ dedication to leveraging technology to enhance sports and provide superior experiences for runners in a market it has been part of for over three decades. With a presence spanning more than 35 years in this market, the company is a digital partner to most of the top 10 companies listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX).

About Tata Consultancy Services

Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organization that has been partnering with many of the world’s largest businesses in their transformation journeys for over 56 years. Its consulting-led, cognitive powered, portfolio of business, technology and engineering services and solutions is delivered through its unique Location Independent Agile™ delivery model, recognized as a benchmark of excellence in software development.

A part of the Tata group, India's largest multinational business group, TCS has over 601,000 of the world’s best-trained consultants in 55 countries. The company generated consolidated revenues of US $29 billion in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, and is listed on the BSE and the NSE in India. TCS' proactive stance on climate change and award-winning work with communities across the world have earned it a place in leading sustainability indices such as the MSCI Global Sustainability Index and the FTSE4Good Emerging Index. For more information, visit www.tcs.com.

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