Judo Australia has partnered with specialist software and compliance firm, Safeguarding You, to launch an first for Australian sport – Charlie, an AI-powered Concussion chatbot.
Charlie will empower judoka, their training partners, coaches, parents, and onlookers to ensure any suspected concussion is assessed against the CRT-6, the current protocol for determining next steps if someone has had a head knock or is simply feeling shaken or unwell.
Dr John Azoury, the chair of Judo Australia’s Medical Commission, has long made the point that every judoka has a responsibility to themselves and their teammates to look out for concussion.
Dr Azoury – well known as Dr John in the Australian judo community – has been gathering statistics on judo injuries since the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. He has conducted his own research in the field, and follows concussion science particularly closely.
While the understanding of the long-term implications of concussion has evolved in the years since 2000, the pressures on athletes have not – this is why it is critical for coaches, friends and family to step up, Dr John said.
“We all know players who’ve only admitted they’re feeling unwell after they’ve collected the medal they’ve been chasing, or fought every match they could. But this is exactly why their coach, or friends need to step in and say ‘stop,” Dr John said.
Charlie’s sideline assessment, which takes the user step by step through the CRT-6, highlighting any red flags that require immediate action along the way is exactly the type of tool that empowers judoka to step in where necessary.
“It’s clear, it’s easy to follow, and it’s very necessary we take responsibility for each other in this way,” Dr John says.
Importantly, it complements Judo Australia’s existing concussion and return-to-play protocols, which remain available to members and clubs through our website Medical – Judo Australia.
It also contributes to addressing a broader challenge across sport— the estimated 80% of concussions that go unreported.
The Sideline Assessment is accessed by a scan of the barcode or a simple click on the link, and does not require specific log in, with no identifying details collected. Supplying a postcode allows Charlie to supply details of the closest medical/emergency clinics, while the optional log in grants access to the Chatbot functionality, which offers by judo-specific information from specialist sources such as the Judo Australia Medical Manual, and Return to Play Rules.
Charlie offers every Judo Club and dojo immediate access to nationally recognised best practice around concussion. Charlie can create a paper trail that documents the actions taken to protect a member following a potential concussion incident, granting a level of protection against litigation.
Judo Australia is posting a Chat with Charlie poster to every member club in the country, and also making the poster available for download. Scan the QR code, save the link to your phone and connect directly to Chat with Charlie.
Ready to learn how to use Charlie?
Judo Australia and Safeguarding You will run an introductory seminar to ensure our members are ready to Chat With Charlie. (The same seminar will be held twice to serve different time zones.)
- Tuesday, 14th April (7.30pm AEST) (CLICK TO JOIN)
- Thursday, 23rd April (8.30pm AEST) (CLICK TO JOIN)
The basic, 15-minute introduction (it’s that easy to use!) will be complemented by a Q & A session – your questions are welcome.
