The Annual Podium Conference on Sports Medicine & Technology is a two-day academic conference hosted by the Podium Institute and chaired by The Podium Institute’s Director, Professor Constantin Coussios OBE FREng, at the University of Oxford.

Our first two conferences have brought together an outstanding international community of researchers, clinicians, engineers, and sports professionals for two days of high-impact exchange focused on improving athlete health and safety. The conference aims to showcase enabling scientific developments that advance the prevention, detection, and treatment of sports injuries, with particular emphasis on the development, application, and validation of innovative wearable, vision-based, biomarker, AI, and robotic technologies. These advances are explored across youth, community, and professional sport, with the goal of transforming safety standards at every level.

Highlights from our two previous conferences include keynote contributions from academics such as computer vision expert Professor Andrew Zisserman, alongside participation from major sports bodies, industry partners, and academic institutions. Contributors have included representatives from the Equestrian Safety Vest Working Group (ESVWG), the British Army, Rugby Football Union, Gloucester Rugby, NHS, and academics from the University of Bath, Imperial College, University College London, Boston University, Brunel Medical School, and the University of Oxford, among others.

Conference Booklets from Previous Podium Institute Conferences

All conference presentations are delivered in person, creating an environment that encourages meaningful discussion, interdisciplinary exchange, and collaboration. Below you’ll find the programme and abstract booklets from our previous conferences.

Our inaugural conference, held at the University of Oxford on 26^th –27^th  September 2024, featured sessions on technologies for mental health, sleep, and rehabilitation – Wearable technologies – Computer vision – Big data and modelling – Personal Protective – Equipment (PPE) – Imaging and neuroimaging – Biomarkers. The first day ended in a gala dinner at Balliol college’s impressive dining hall.

Conference Highlights

The second conference, held on 25^th -27^th September 2025, included over 30 presentations addressing key topics such as concussion, biomechanics, injury prevention, wearable technologies, and the ethics of biometric monitoring.

Standout sessions presented new insights into cumulative head impacts and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), innovative approaches to ACL reconstruction, and data-driven strategies to support youth athlete wellbeing. Spirited debate sessions added energy and depth, encouraging open dialogue on data governance, surveillance boundaries, and the balance between performance optimisation and long-term health. Read more: Where Science Meets Sport: The Podium Institute’s Annual Conference 2025

On this occasion The Podium Institute collaborated with Wiley to award three prizes for Best student presentation, Best young researcher presentation, and Best newcomer presentation. Authors were also invited to submit a manuscript to the journal Advanced Intelligent Systems.

Conference Highlights