Hyderabad Shooter Homanshika Develops Wearable to Treat Athletes' Injuries
A Hyderabad-based national-level shooter, Homanshika Reddy, is using technology to confront a problem that can abruptly end an athlete's journey due to injury
A Hyderabad-based national-level shooter, Homanshika Reddy is using technology to confront a problem that can abruptly end an athlete's journey due to injury. At 12, Homanshika picked up a rifle as a hobby but nine years later, the 21-year-old is developing Somatrace, a wearable system that uses sensors to track spinal movement in real time.
Homanshika had not always planned to become an innovator. Growing up, she imagined becoming a doctor or an engineer. Shooting entered her life almost unexpectedly and the hobby soon became a serious pursuit. Inspired by Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra and the young shooters training alongside her, Homanshika discovered what talent and persistence could achieve. Sport also taught her how much an athlete’s performance depends on the body—and how quickly injury can take that opportunity away.
In rifle shooting, precision is everything. Small variations in posture or repeated movements can influence performance. Homanshika began wondering whether these movements could be captured and analysed, giving athletes and coaches information that is difficult to see with the naked eye and the concept of Somatrace was developed. The wearable system is being developed to capture spinal movement patterns during training. By making this information measurable, Homanshika hopes Somatrace can help athletes better understand their bodies and enable coaches to make more informed training decisions. Her ambition is to help athletes remain in the sport they love for longer.
