STRN’s Contribution: Connecting Research to Real-World Impact

One of the speakers was Kristof De Mey, founder of the Sports Tech Research Network (STRN), who contributed insights into how international collaboration and interdisciplinary research are crucial to advancing the wearables field in a responsible and impactful way. In his talk, Kristof outlined STRN’s role in building a global ecosystem that connects academic research with real-world applications. From startups to elite sports organizations, and from rehabilitation clinics to tech companies, STRN acts as a bridge to make sure evidence-based innovation gets to where it’s most needed.

Kristof also emphasized a key message: the importance of rigorous, interdisciplinary research. While wearable devices are now common—from smartwatches to sensor-laden sports gear—there remains a gap between what these tools can measure and what actually contributes to meaningful, validated outcomes for health and performance. Events like this help to close that gap.

Looking Ahead: Responsible Innovation for Sports and Health

The Ladenburg setting provided not just a beautiful venue but also the right intellectual environment to tackle tough questions. What kind of data governance do we need in a world of constant biometric monitoring? How can we align wearable innovation with real-world user needs—be it athletes, patients, or healthcare professionals?

For STRN, this event was another opportunity to reinforce the network’s mission: enabling responsible sports and health tech innovation that’s built on solid research, shaped by ethical awareness, and aimed at real impact.