We have 20 years experience of using life energy to heal people with a huge range of diseases, disabilities and injuries many of which have been viewed as incurable by western medicine (McCrum, 2008; McCrum & Hankey, 2008a).

The principles of healing with energy have double application in the world of sport and elite performance:

1. Using energy enhances physical healing

It speeds up the recovery process to an extent that is beyond explanation on current biomedical models. It heals problems at the root level, ensuring that strength is rebuilt from the core. It heals problems so that affected areas become stronger than before damage occurred.

1. Using energy enhances performance

Training with top level coaches in energy techniques allows people to perform feats that may be described as superhuman (Shaolin Kungfu Monks in Malta, 2008). With targeted training towards a specific goal this potential can be exploited to help athletes exceed their maximum capacity in competition conditions. The principles of energy training are identical to the principles of elite performance development, but are usually applied in different areas of life (health, business, exceptional abilities, martial arts). Traditionally it has taken many years of lengthy and concentrated energy training to reach high levels of performance.
However the founder of the Academy of Potential Education has developed an approach which vastly reduces the time needed to achieve exceptional results. It works virtually instantaneously and accumulates with practice. If this type of training were combined with sports training athletes could gain an edge in terms of developing core strength/fitness and peak performance. We propose to introduce a top level energy coach to work with selected athletes to enhance healing and performance. A partner university would make intensive measurements of each athlete's performance and physical functioning to demonstrate precisely the specific effects of combining energy training with sports training.

Understanding of energy and energy medicine in western science is still in an early stage of development, but it is beginning to be modeled on a theory of quantised fluctuations (Hankey, 2004). As we increase our scientific understanding and validation of the effects of energy on human performance, confidence will also increase to research and apply this knowledge more widely. This will allow us to see where maximum benefit can be gained from using energy and provide a foundation for a new theoretical understanding of the process of stretching human performance capacity in order to develop the system further.

Contact

Sarah McCrum

020 7650 0718

Our solution computerises the delivery of a hypnosis session and aims to bring more science to the research and effects of hypnosis. By listening to both brainwaves and heart rate (via sensors) our solution delivers pre recorded clips of hypnotic content to the user (both voice and sounds/music). Using artificial intelligence, prior session data and behavioural tests, the system aims to deliver the instructional section at the most optimal time for maximum behavioural change (ie when the listener is most receptive to instructions based on specific brain/heart rate states).

Contact

Jon Clare

07803 989 803

jonclareemail@yahoo.com

Alpha-Active products and services are based on the well-known fact that when people are in the zone, meditating, etc., their brainwave patterns change. These brainwaves can be measured by a type of electronic device called an EEG (electroencephalogram). When an athlete is in the zone, there is often a measurable increase in activity of one sort of brain wave known as alpha wave. Hence our pocket-sized EEG system is specifically optimised, following extensive consultation with professional sports coaches and university scientists, to measure alpha and other brainwaves in the sports context.

The system is robust to movement artefacts and so is ideal for sports or other ambulatory applications, when an athlete is actively practising. The sports application is targeted at elite athletes seeking to obtain a small improvement in performance or consistency of performance that will take them from nearly winners to actual winners. It may also be of use in early talent identification.

For each application, there is the question of where to place the (two channel) electrodes and what is the appropriate 'algorithm/protocol' of the different frequency bands that is most significant for neurofeedback training (not necessarily the most obvious peaks but the ones that can act as a causal 'navigator' to steer performance improvement). In short, how to answer a sports coach's hypothetical question "So what, but how can I use the EEG to get demonstrably better performance from my athlete?". We believe neurofeedback training will have the most benefit when working with people who already have (or the promise of having) the skills, fitness, tactical awareness, dedication etc. to achieve high performance in their chosen field. It is about getting their mind right for the sport. Hence we are in dialogue with psychologists, sports coaches, clinicians, etc., and others in this field as to what data exists currently, and what are the key 'experiments' to provide an answer to the sports coach's hypothetical question.

Alpha-Active is seeking a collaboration on this general topic and on the maths of the 'algorithm' of the different frequency bands (i.e. the optimised cluster of frequencies for neurofeedback training - which is likely to differ per application). We have additional interests in rehabilitation therapy and pain management (see our therapies brochure on our website). We are also looking to develop a brainwave driven game which may be of use for visualisation coaching. The device is CE-marked to Class 1 medical device standards and, with further work, could be used for EMG.

In summary, we are an innovative sensors & instrumentation company - not psychologists or sports coaches. Hence we need trials partners from these fields. Also, we have access (via associated company www.staplethorne.co.uk ) to cardiac technology (electronic stethoscope - for heart & lung sounds, ECG, pulse oximetry) and possibly metabolic rate (volume, O2, CO2) which could in principle also be recorded synchronously. We also can access sensitive force sensor technology.

Contact

Dr Keith Barfoot
Alpha-Active Ltd
eeg@alpha-active.com
01404 42455
www.alpha-active.com

CherryActive comprised of montmorency cherry juice concentrate contains high levels of antioxidants and flavonoids, which are able to quench free radicals and thus potentially to reduce oxidative damage. There is one published study demonstrating that montmorency cherry juice can speed the recovery of muscle function after damaging intensive exercise (Connolly et al, 2006). However the mechanism has not been demonstrated and nor have the effects of CherryActive specifically been assessed. This study will investigate whether, in comparison to placebo, consumption of CherryActive:

• Promotes more rapid recovery of muscle function (isometric strength, endurance, EMG and muscle oxygenation responses) after muscle damage induced by resistance exercise commonly employed by recreational to elite athletes from a variety of sports
• Reduces the extent of muscle damage (creatine kinase) induced by resistance exercise
• Reducing oxidative damage (serum protein carbonyls, plasma nitrotyrosine) and inflammatory (serum C reactive protein) response induced by multi-joint resistance exercise

The company has been successful in acquiring funding from the Knowledge Connect funding scheme. Ethical approval is currently being sought after which studies will commence with findings due in late Spring/early summer 2009.

Contact:

John Carey

Cherry Active Limited

08451 705 705

07801 635106

www.cherryactive.co.uk

Staplethorne Ltd are technology entrepreneurs who provide consultancy, product development, and sales services to clients, as well as developing and marketing our own products. We are active in medical diagnostic instrumentation and force sensors for security applications. Our team works in collaborative multidisciplinary projects involving individuals, universities, clinical research groups, manufacturers, and other product development companies and networks being a key part of a technology cluster.

Digital electronic stethoscope

Staplethorne has investigated the technical and commercial feasibility of developing a cost-effective portable digital electronic stethoscope. This product will allow the digital recording and representation of heart and lung sounds that are clear, objective, and consistent. These will be easy to understand and interpret and will be used for early cardiac diagnosis, for accurate medical records, and for training. Having a quantitative record should assist doctors and nurses, of varying experience, record and interpret these sounds and it should allow objective record keeping of the progression of heart valve disease, etc. Records could also be sent elsewhere for expert opinion, telemedicine, e-medicine, etc.

In the sports context, the stethoscope could be worn on the chest during training and the heart and/or lung sounds sent by wireless means in real time for computer analysis, etc. An extension of this project has been to add ECG and pulse oximetry technology in order to have a synchronized time stamp of the cardiac cycle.
Staplethorne has also been involved in a project to develop a cardiac electrophysiological technique for interrogating the myocardium in order to predict the level of risk of sudden cardiac death.

Other technologies

We also have access to metabolic rate (volume, O2, CO2) and sensitive force sensor technology, all of which could in principle be recorded synchronously. In summary, we are an innovative sensors & instrumentation company - not psychologists or sports coaches. Hence we need trials and applications partners from these fields to direct our technology to be of further benefit to sports training.

Contact

Dr Keith Barfoot
Staplethorne Ltd

medical@staplethorne.co.uk
01404 42455
www.staplethorne.co.uk

Our company already produces the award winning Trekinetic K-2 and GT-3 manual wheelchair. These manually propelled everyday wheelchairs are already changing the world as far as off road access is concerned. However, we now have evidence to support that a racing version, based upon the same revolutionary configuration, has the potential to break world records. We have checked the eligibility criteria against the International Olympic Committee for wheelchair racing and a suitable modified version would easily be compliant. With suitable funding in place, we would like to work with an academic partner to develop this new technology and may be prepared to conditionally share our Intellectual Property rights. We already have the outline designs prepared for the 'racer' and could send a picture of the new 'street' version.

Contact

Mike Spindle

Managing Director
Trekinetic All Terrain
t: 01442 252700
e: trekinetic@aol.com
w: www.trekinetic.co.uk