Students create app to measure athletic performance

This technological aid was created by students Brayan Esteven Olarte and Jhoan Sneider Cupitre from the Software Development Technology program as their graduation project. Behind this initiative were professors Manuel Alvarado and Antonio Alba from the Sports Science and Physical Education program, and the interdisciplinary group from the Infosoft research group.

And, like all inventions, this one was born out of necessity. “Lactate is a substance produced by muscle tissue and red blood cells during exercise. It's measured with a blood test to which reagents are added, and it helps evaluate muscle recovery after physical activity. In the case of the Sports Science and Physical Education program, the trainers used to track it manually; now, with this development, they can see it in the app and program the necessary routines,” says Jhoan Sneider.

But the advantages of this interesting invention, designed for high-performance athletes, don't end there. "This work is focused on those who professionally practice cycling, athletics, swimming, and canoeing, and they too can consult it in real time on their cell phones.".

According to Jhoan Sneider, the application has excellent usability—the degree to which a system, product, or service can be used by users. “It has a very minimalist interface because it's well-managed by Fireware, which makes it easy for many people to use without major problems, so anyone can log in and follow the training process.”.

Like any technological tool, this one is also susceptible to continuous software development, as experts call it. "I think that in the future it could be improved to perform some of the functions of smartwatches, which measure sleep hours, heart rate, and exercise.".

For these two students, this multidimensional learning environment, where they experienced problem-solving and made decisions through interaction with the instructor and real-world situations, proved highly beneficial, allowing them to present their work at an academic event. “I was able to represent my university at the Redcolsi National Meeting of Research Seedbeds. There, I presented this work to the general public, who were very attentive to its development, and I was able to interact with students from the University of Antioquia and the University of Cauca, among others.”.

Now that he has graduated, he acknowledges the University of Cundinamarca and its Transmodern Digital Educational Model, which prepared him for life, democratic values, and civic responsibility, for the support he always received as a person and as a student. “I am grateful to my university for its support, as it provided me with all the pedagogical resources I needed to become who I am today in my professional development. For example, when I needed a computer, they lent it to me. They also made a room available if I needed one. In addition, I always received support and commitment from the professors.”.

For knowledge manager Manuel Alvarado, this work has an important interdisciplinary aspect. “The application benefited from the help of Professor Alba, who explained the scientific side of the training process to us.”.

Finally, he says he is proud of the results achieved so far. “The project passed all the filters to be included in the Redcolsi national event. We didn't win it, because we still needed to demonstrate how much the athletes' training level has improved with this tool.”.

In this way, the university reaffirms its Mission, which speaks of being a democratic, autonomous, educational, and transmodern social organization of knowledge for the benefit of a society that seeks to improve its living conditions.

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