Areas of Focus
Drawing on expertise across the University of Michigan, Michigan Athletics and industry partners to optimize physical performance and health for people of all ages and abilities.
Sport Technology
The development of sensors, wearable technology and materials, smart apparel and safer equipment can intelligently manage a person’s wellbeing and behavior in a personalized manner. Researchers are working to develop and enhance sport technology in an effort to optimize performance, identify better methods to diagnose or evaluate potential for injury, and develop more informed approaches to optimally return the injured to play.
Improving Physical Activity
At the University of Michigan, researchers are developing strategies to promote, encourage, facilitate and improve physical activity across the lifespan for people of all ages and abilities. Research areas focus on nutrition and hydration; strength training and conditioning; sleep, rest and recovery; sport psychology; and injury prevention.
Injury Prevention, Diagnosis & Management
University of Michigan researchers are working closely with athletes and industry partners to develop safer equipment that helps prevent injury. Researchers also are working to identify better methods to evaluate potential for injury or to diagnose injury (e.g., concussion), as well as more informed approaches to optimally return the injured to activities.
Performance Analytics
The translation of a myriad of data from multiple types of sources on a person’s training, nutrition, movement, biometrics, and sleep can spur actionable approaches to reduce injury risk and achieve performance goals. Researchers are using data science to analyze individual athletes in relation to everyone else on a team, while also analyzing team data as a whole. They also use data for purposes of individualized augmented and virtual reality, which can enable athletes to accurately self-assess their performance.
Mission
The mission of ESSI is to support and grow integrated and comprehensive sport- and exercise-related research and education at the University of Michigan.
Strategic Priorities:
- Foster innovative and cross-disciplinary sport and exercise science research
- Cultivate a sport and exercise science community
- Translate sport and exercise research discoveries to communities of all types, ages, and abilities
Vision
The vision of ESSI is to optimize the physical performance and health for people of all ages and abilities.
ESSi was welcomed into the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance by their partnerships team as an official partner in February 2023. Wu Tsai is excited to have ESSI as a partner in their shared mission to discover the scientific principles of optimal human performance. ESSI’s expertise and resources will strengthen their network, and they are confident that partnering will accelerate the Alliance’s progress and the field of human performance research more broadly.
Why ESSI
As a University-wide initiative, ESSI has access to a tremendous breadth and depth of expertise across 19 schools and colleges, thousands of athletes at all ages and abilities, a world-class health system, and state-of-the-art academic and athletic facilities.
100+
Top ranked grad programs
56
Team National Championships
“This is a great opportunity for our coaches, trainers, and student athletes to work with faculty and industry partners to probe new approaches to optimizing both individual and team performance.”
502
New inventions in 2019
“Through ESSI, we are exploring the potential of emerging areas of research, leveraging investments with existing university research, evaluating new ideas and approaches, and accelerating the progress of new ideas to practice.”