Competitive anxiety is one of the main challenges faced by high-performance athletes, affecting their performance during competitions. To help deal with this factor, researchers from the School of Physical Education (FEF) at Unicamp developed the Ansiedômetro, a computer program that monitors athletes' anxiety levels before competitions.
“The software is designed to replace traditional data collection methods, such as paper questionnaires, which often generate Feedback late and inefficient. With this software, it is possible to perform rapid and real-time diagnoses, accelerating collection by around 30% when compared to conventional methods”, explains Kaio Borges Guerrero, master in physical education from the University and one of the inventors of the technology.
Developed as a web application, Ansiedômetro can be accessed through any browser and is compatible with Android and iOS systems. Its responsive feature prevents it from taking up space in the device's memory, facilitating access and daily use.
The software uses a questionnaire validated by scientific literature, applicable to athletes of any sport, whether collective or individual. When completed, the program creates a personalized history of responses, generating data for coaches and athletes, who can adopt strategies to achieve the ideal level of anxiety for each competitor.
“Mental health is not the absence of disorders, but rather the ability to deal with emotions in a healthy way. Instead of trying to completely eliminate feelings like anxiety, we must understand how to balance them in order to promote well-being. True mental health involves self-knowledge and the ability to deal with difficulties without the pressure of feeling good all the time,” explains Professor Paula Teixeira Fernandes, a professor at FEF and co-inventor of the technology.
In other words, anxiety can be both a positive and negative factor. “What matters is finding the ideal level for each person, and the Anxiety Meter helps with this fine-tuning,” adds the professor.
Technology offers valuable clues for managing anxiety, helping to detect patterns and indicating possible approaches. “The care process requires a personalized approach, with the support of psychologists and other health professionals. The software is a support tool, but coping strategies must be adapted to the needs of each athlete,” says Fernandes.
The computer program was registered with the support of the Unicamp Innovation Agency (Inova Unicamp), which helped the researchers during the process of protecting the software’s intellectual property. “Inova Unicamp offered us all the support we needed, with an ethical and well-structured process. It is gratifying to see how the University acts seriously and with commitment to protecting technologies,” says Guerrero.
Interdisciplinarity and technology in sport
One of the great distinguishing features of Ansiedômetro is its interdisciplinary approach, connecting sports psychology, physical education and information technology. According to Fernandes, collaboration between different areas of knowledge proved essential for the project to reach a high level of sophistication.
“The Sports Psychology and Neuroscience Study Group at Unicamp, of which we are a member, has always valued the exchange between professionals from different areas, such as psychology, physical education, physiotherapy and others. The development of the Ansiedômetro followed this philosophy, combining different areas of knowledge to create software that is truly aligned with the needs of athletes,” highlights the professor.
The use of digital tools has transformed the way data is collected and analyzed in sports, making training more effective. “Technology is an ally in improving performance of athletes, offering agility in data collection and contributing to impactful research”, says Guerrero.
The software developed at Unicamp is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by the United Nations (UN), especially SDG 3, which refers to health and well-being. The program contributes to the mental health of athletes in various sports and also has the potential to be applied in other areas, such as education, health and corporate environments.
“In addition to sports, there is the expectation that the Ansiedômetro can be useful in other moments of great anxiety faced by the general population, such as job interviews, the first day of work, etc. Its flexibility allows it to be adopted in different areas, impacting mental health and performance in different contexts”, concludes Guerrero.
For the technology to reach society, interested companies need to license it and develop it on a large scale. The intellectual property of Unicamp's software is protected and available for licensing. Learn more about the technology in its technology profile at Technology Portfolio da Unicamp.
How to license a technology at Unicamp
Inova Unicamp provides a technological showcase in the Unicamp Technology Portfolio. Public or private companies and institutions can license intellectual property developed at Unicamp, with or without exclusivity, such as patents, cultivars, brands, software and know-how. contact and negotiation are carried out directly with the Unicamp Innovation Agency through the connection with companies.
Inova Unicamp also actively offers technologies to companies, with the intention of ensuring that the knowledge generated at the University reaches the market and society. To learn about other cases of licensing of Unicamp technologies, visit the Inova website.
