NBA-NBPA-Michigan-Fraunhofer multi-year project
National Basketball and National Basketball Players Association (NBA-NBPA) — Wearables Project
Formed immediately following execution of the 2017 collective bargaining agreement between NBA and NBPA.
Primary responsibilities:
- Approving devices for use by players
- Setting cybersecurity standards for storage/management of data
- Independently validating devices for safety and accuracy
- Discussing game use
- Established Wearables Validation Program to determine devices approved for use in the league
NBPA-NBA Wearables Validation Program is a one of its kind program intended to comprehensively evaluate the data quality and device safety of any wearable device used with players. No other sports league or governing body in the world has a program as scientifically rigorous and comprehensive. Unique partnership of the NBA and NBPA with academic research partners and technology manufacturers to ensure devices approved for League use are of highest quality.
Wearables committee identified Researcher Partners to lead the scientific effort – University of Michigan and Fraunhofer IIS (Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS is one of the world’s leading application-oriented research institutions for microelectronic and IT).
- Identified via RFP process in 2017-2018
- Primary responsibilities:
- Develop comprehensive data quality and device safety evaluation protocols
- Execute protocols on potential devices and develop reports for the Wearables Committee to review to determine whether device is approved for League Use
- Work very closely with device manufacturers to examine and test all facets of the device to produce a very rigorous validation of every data metric that the device produces
- University of Michigan: Sleep (Cathy Goldstein) and Safety (James Ashton-Miller & Jeff Housner) with Project Co-PIs Ron Zernicke & Ken Kozloff
- Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS (Germany—one of the world’s leading application-oriented research institutions for microelectronics and IT)
- University of Michigan (Jess Zendler) serves as Program Coordinator, managing the interactions among the Wearables Committee, Research Partners, and participating companies; overseeing research efforts; liaising with companies; and producing the final comprehensive reports for review by the NBA and NBPA
- The project is currently on the 6th cycle (year) of device validation for the NBA-NBPA
- Researchers also advise the Wearables Committee on various wearables technical questions as they arise, including vetting wearables for use in assisting with COVID risk reduction during the NBA Bubble in 2020 and reviewing new technology worn by players during events such as the 2024 All-Star game.