Winter Olympics kick off: How pro tech can level up your game

The 2026 Winter Olympics will start tomorrow with the opening ceremony, and you are probably gearing up to cheer for your favorite athletes. The 25th edition of the Winter Olympics, held in the Italian Alps, began (unofficially) yesterday, featuring curling, luge, and alpine skiing events. Excitement, competition, and record-breaking performances will keep us entertained for the next two weeks. I don’t know about you, but I’m always fascinated by the greatness of these events—and of their main characters.

Elite athletes devote all of their time to elevating their performance. In doing so, technology has proven instrumental in helping them set new records. While top-notch equipment and infrastructure remain at the disposal of professional sportspeople, technology is also available for the many amateur athletes among us. Here are some examples.

Improving safety and performance with a smart ski helmet

It is the time of the year to hit the slopes! As many in these weeks pack their bags to spend some time in Europe’s ski resorts, have you ever considered using a smart helmet and goggles? Downhill skiers, for instance, have begun using augmented-reality (AR)- enabled goggles that display real-time speed, drop, and navigation markers.

Elite skiers, cyclists, and snowboarders now also use helmets equipped with the Multi-directional Impact Protection System (MIPS). It is a low-friction layer inside the helmet that reduces rotational forces during angled impacts, common in crashes.

This technology, combined with impact sensors that can alert a rescue team, improves safety and performance by lowering the “fear barrier.” When one knows the capabilities of its equipment, they are freer to push.

Helmets with MIPS and connectivity features are available for less than €100. Various options are available, each with different fits, levels of comfort, and purpose-built features.

The smart band used by sports No.1s

During last week’s Australian Open, a controversy ignited over the use of a smart wristband tucked beneath players’ cuffs. Among them were Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz, the women’s and men’s No. 1 tennis players, who were asked to remove the wearable before starting their matches in Melbourne.

The disputed wearable is a band produced by the American company Whoop that records metrics such as heart rate variability, blood oxygen saturation, and sleep stages. While a wristband that records physical activity might sound new to you, the device has gained popularity, sported by influential users such as golfer Rory McIlroy, soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, and basketball legend LeBron James.

Following the ban by the Australian federation, the world’s No. 2, Jannik Sinner, said the device helps track on-court activity and provides valuable training information. The band, available with subscription plans starting at €199 per year, can provide a wealth of information on recovery, strain, and sleep.

The light band, which has to be worn at all times, interprets collected data and provides users with recommendations in the dedicated app. Backed by the sports world's elite, Whoop aims to become everyone’s lifestyle companion and promises to track your body's activity, giving you access to the parameters pros use to improve their performance.

An automatic camera to boost team sports performance

As the coach of an amateur field hockey, handball, or basketball team, you might be looking for ways to better study the way your team plays and trains. TeamTV’s automatic camera system is designed for top-tier teams to recreational ones, capturing every moment of the match.

This camera records high-quality videos from multiple angles. Powered by AI, the device delivers smart, professional game tracking. Coaches and players can access recorded footage on their mobile phones, allowing them to pinpoint areas for improvement to elevate their performance. Moreover, the system extracts data from footage, offering comprehensive game dashboards with figures and charts that provide an overview of key statistics.

The technology, trusted by the Dutch hockey federation, is available through different pricing plans, starting at €59 per month.

Tech can be your teammate, too

High-performance sports technology is no longer the preserve of elite athletes, then. From AI-driven video analysis to advanced wearable sensing technology, you can work on marginal gains and elevate your performance.

As skiers, skaters, and bobsliders' deeds at the 2026 Winter Games are set to inspire us, technology can also be your new teammate and help you push your own limits.