Smart Technology to Capture Women’s Emotional and Physical States During Extreme Expeditions

More women around the world are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the predominantly male-dominated world of extreme sports. While men face numerous challenges during extreme expeditions, women encounter these obstacles along with unique physiological and emotional hurdles related to female-specific health concerns, including menstrual symptoms. And there is a lack of studies on this to support women's involvement in extreme physical sports and as a result, how they might best prepare for these activities. This research offers a unique opportunity to explore the emotional and physical states of two women as they undertake an extreme expedition to Antarctica. The findings highlight the complexity and unpredictability of the menstrual cycle for the women both during preparation and throughout the course of the expedition. The findings also show the potential of smart technology to collect data that could further enhance these women’s performance. In detail, the chapter emphasizes the importance of understanding the interplay between external factors (like environment) and internal factors (such as menstrual cycle) on the women's performances. In conclusion, this chapter has the potential to contribute to the wider sustainable development goal 5 (SDG 5) – which aims to achieve gender equality – by specifically empowering women and girls with a means to more deeply understand their physical and emotional well-being during extreme sport experiences.