UC Lab Bringing Basketball and Modern Technology Together

For years Jack Zable, a professor at the University of Colorado, has been trying to find a way to bring sports and modern technology closer together.

“There are a lot of things you can do where technology can be used to help performance,” Zable said.

With an eye for optimizing performance, Zable and 10 of his laboratory students built adjustable heated seats for the Milwaukee Bucks to keep their muscles warm whenever they are on the bench. This provides the players a far more optimal option compared to regular folding chairs which cause muscle stiffness. The new seats have been used by the Bucks since last season over which span, Milwaukee has accumulated a 61-11 mark.

“The (Toronto) Raptors have just paid the Bucks a fee to use their chairs. So, the Raptors will be using the chairs in the future. My feeling is that five years from now everybody will be using them because it gives an edge to the team,” Zable said.

With the success of the heated chairs, Zable’s lab is looking to do more in the field of performance integration. Last year, his lab developed a balancing beam designed to improve ankle strength while preventing ankle injuries. The group looks to continue to bring innovative ideas to life.

“I think we’re going to be mostly proud because we delivered the goal that we wanted to reach which is to help the players recover through the injuries. If we did that, it would be the best,” said student Faisal Alsumairi.

It’s incredible to see all the technology out there that keeps the NBA’s best at their absolute best.