Technology enhanced coaching: Assessing the promise and boundaries of immersive and AI driven systems

Sports science and coaching are entering a transformative era driven by virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI), and wearable sensors. While these technologies promise to revolutionize skill development, performance monitoring, and strategic decision-making, the empirical foundation supporting their adoption remains incomplete. Recent studies highlight the potential of immersive simulators to train perceptual-cognitive skills and of AI models to interpret biometric or tactical data. Yet, crucial gaps persist: the degree to which virtual training transfers to real-world performance is unclear, the balance between machine recommendations and coach judgment is contested, and the ethical implications of data collection, algorithmic bias, and athlete autonomy remain underexplored. Despite impressive technical advances, the integration of these tools into authentic coaching environments has outpaced conceptual and methodological scrutiny. There is, therefore, a pressing need to consolidate existing knowledge, evaluate claims of effectiveness, and establish frameworks for responsible, evidence-informed practice in technology-augmented coaching.This Research Topic aims to examine how immersive and AI technologies reshape the processes of coaching, learning, and performance development. It seeks to clarify whether and how virtual and algorithmic tools enhance decision-making, skill acquisition, and feedback systems for both coaches and athletes. Contributors are encouraged to address fundamental questions surrounding the ecological validity of immersive simulations, mechanisms underpinning skill transfer, and the limits of automated insight. The objective is to move from speculative enthusiasm toward grounded, interdisciplinary evaluation that informs future applications and ethical standards in modern coaching.To gather further insights into the deployment and evaluation of technology-enhanced coaching practices, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:- Transfer of perceptual-cognitive and motor skills from virtual to real settings- Mixed-methods and longitudinal evaluations of AI–coach–athlete interactions- Validation studies of wearable sensors and computer vision for performance assessment- Sport-specific applications of immersive training and machine learning analytics- Ethical and governance considerations in AI-driven decision support- Inclusion and accessibility for youth, Para, and underrepresented athlete populationsWe welcome original research, reviews, methodological papers, conceptual analyses, perspectives, and empirical studies combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. Topic editors: Tiago Russomanno, Bruno L. S. Bedo, Takashi Fukushima Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/82192/technology-enhanced-coaching-assessing-the-promise-and-boundaries-of-immersive-and-ai-driven-systems