Performance Sensors Initiative (PSI)
Athletic centred sensoring from stadium to soceity.
Overview
The Performance Sensors Initiative (PSI) is a national framework for developing, validating, manufacturing, and commercializing next-generation sports-sensing technologies in Saudi Arabia and beyond. It translates the inaugural Saudi Sports Sensors Workshop's athlete-centered co-design philosophy into a long-term platform that unites scientists, engineers, athletes, clinicians, industry, and policymakers within a single innovation ecosystem to develop sensing technologies that enhance performance, prevent injury, and accelerate scientific and industrial impact.
An Athlete-Centered Model
The initiative engages a reverse-innovation model in which unmet needs are identified by athletes, coaches, and clinicians guided technology development, rather than technologies seeking applications.
- Develop next-generation portable, wearable, nearable, and biochemical sensing platforms
- Deliver timely, field-ready feedback on key biomarkers— for example, lactate and hydration
- Use clubs, federations, and national training centres as real-world testbeds and living laboratories
- Localize intellectual property, manufacturing, and talent within Saudi Arabia
- Performance: Improve training, enhance performance, prevent injury, and accelerate recovery
- Economic: Advance the fastest-growing segment of Saudi sports (~650% growth by 2030) and stimulate high-value manufacturing
- Societal: Translate and accelerate innovation from the sports sector into the broader healthcare and wellness sector
- KAUST: A national research university catalyzing the ecosystem—from the founding workshop to its biosensing research portfolio and National Transformation Institute
- Intellectual Property (IP): Localized within Saudi Arabia, alongside manufacturing and talent development