Identifying Muscle Fatigue and Hyperthermia in Sports Activities Using Thermal Imaging and Facial Recognition Software

Hyperthermia and muscle fatigue during sports activities are a challenge to detect because body temperatures cannot be unobtrusively evaluated from the field of play. Recently, inexpensive portable thermal imaging devices have become available, allowing accurate monitoring of players from a distance. In this paper, we examine the accuracy of thermal imaging devices by distance and monitoring angle. Using thermal imaging, object recognition, and facial recognition techniques, we develop a visualization tool to display core body temperature information for each player. This augmented display allows us to detect potential heat-related player injuries on a sports field in near real time.