There exists a revitalized interest in the domain of yoga and wellness applications. The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in the era of virtual yoga classes. Recently, there has been a heightened focus on the development of props, intelligent mats, and AI-driven applications designed to assess stress, relaxation, and wellness solutions associated with yoga and various other therapeutic practices. The global market size for yoga was substantial, amounting to $80 billion in 2017, and it is anticipated to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13% over the ensuing eight years, ultimately reaching $216 billion by 2025.

Significant growth is projected in the Asia-Pacific region. The wellness segment constitutes a dynamic sector, with devices such as smartwatches, wristbands, rings, and other gadgets being utilized to monitor individual health, stress levels, physical activity, and sleep patterns. This holds particular significance for the field of yoga, as numerous quantifiable indicators—including stress levels, relaxation responses, heart rate variability, cerebral blood flow, and other physiological measures—can be employed to evaluate the quality of interventions and the subsequent outcomes following such interventions. Signal processing has advanced over the years, propelled by developments in deep learning, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. When combined with sensors and devices, these innovations have the potential to facilitate the delivery of intelligent yoga interventions in a digital format.

This YOGATECH CHALLENGE was designed to invite startups and individuals who have created products (whether devices, software applications, or both) pertinent to yoga that track the delivery of treatment and the trajectory of outcomes over time, thus providing valuable health-related information concerning these interventions. In the Yogatech Challenge 2024, which took place at Svyasa University in Bengaluru on November 8, 2024, 11 out of the 15 companies that were shortlisted presented their innovative ideas before the Jury members across three distinct categories.

Among these, a variety of innovative concepts emerged, including wearable headbands designed to assess attention and focus during yogic practices, a device for monitoring nasal airflow and cycles as breath awareness is a fundamental aspect of all yogic practices, which delineates the flow and patterns of nasal respiration as extensively documented in classical yogic literature known as Swara Yoga, and an earbud device that evaluates attention span by tracking alpha wave activities during yogic relaxation and meditation sessions.

Conversely, in the realm of IT solutions, an array of innovative applications and platforms were introduced, such as those offering personalized online yoga therapy sessions, an application that accurately monitors yoga postures by integrating virtual practices with AI-based avatars to mitigate individuals' apprehensions regarding camera exposure or the potential for their personal videos to be shared in the cloud, and a platform that delivers comprehensive yoga therapy consultations encompassing diet, counseling, and individualized yoga therapy practices. The Yogatech Challenge 2024 successfully convened a multitude of innovative thinkers from across India. The victors will receive significant cash prizes on the occasion of the 7th Naturopathy Day celebration at the Central Research Institute of Yoga and Naturopathy (CRIYN), under the aegis of Central Council for Research in Yoga & Naturopathy (CCRYN), located in Nagamangala, Mandya, Karnataka.

 

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