As promised in my blog on NOOR’s work, here is another angle at the magic symbiosis between sports, arts, and technology. 

Today, I would like you to meet Marc Bogaerts, a 75-year old rebellious choreographer and artistic director who has worked with more than 50 dance, opera, and circus companies worldwide. He is renowned for his fondness for creating unconventional combinations on stage and drawing inspiration from a wide range of subjects. Many of his projects combine several styles – e.g., opera, ballet, stationary art, ballroom dancing, ice dancing, breakdancing, and nouveau circus – to build bridges between different types of physical expression. Have a look at his portfolio, bio, and achievements on his website Bogaerts Productions. He used to travel the world, with home base in Berlin and Antwerp. He has now retreated – but not retired – into a home container on a farm somewhere in the middle of nowhere in Flanders. 

Like NOOR, he also combines sports and art. I have been in regular conversations with Marc since 2022. Now, I believe the time has come to share some exciting opportunities around a concept he invented: Human Powered Vehicles (HPVs). Marc is very intense. He radiates energy. Here he is:

There are many ways to approach this, and Marc generously gave me the ground-idea to explore possibilities in the artistic/entertainment scene. Marc just promoted me as his artistic curator for the Arts and Culture domain.

What are Human Powered Vehicles?

In the past, Marc worked for Cirque du Soleil, renowned for its spectacular shows featuring predominantly gymnastic acrobats. But in Marc’s vision, gymnastics is “only” one of some 120 sports that can be combined with art and technology. This broader concept led to the idea of Cirque des Sports. Human Powered Vehicles are one expression of that vision.

Human Powered Vehicles (HPVs) are spectacular, eye-catching phygital vehicles powered by human movement, with electric power (E-power) providing additional support when needed. Designed as a symbiosis of sport, art, science, and green technology, they can embody Olympic disciplines—for example, the running, swimming, and cycling elements of the Triathlon HPV. At the same time, HPVs can function as highly visible marketing platforms, artistic expressions, and powerful tools for social and environmental campaigns.

Physical human energy is captured and translated into real-time data. That data then drives a range of advanced digital, visual, and physical effects, turning human effort into an immersive, highly visible experience.

All HPVs are built around one central, unifying principle: human emotion.

Below are a concept video, created two years ago, and a behind-the-scenes video showing how we brought the concept to life.

Status of the project

A small-scale prototype has been built.  It has been deployed at several events. The prototype is large enough to host the three athletes to power the system.

Now that the prototype has proven the technical feasibility, we believe we are ready to start building the full-scale monumental HPV.

Opportunities

The Human Powered Vehicle (HPV) is framed as much more than a vehicle—it is a “travelling multi-sensory living laboratory” and an “ark of human innovation”. By combining physical human effort, real-time biometric data, clean energy, and immersive technology, the HPV opens up 10 distinct fields of opportunity:

• Sports Promotion & “Sportainment” 
• Green Mobility & Clean Energy Innovation
• Multi-Sensory Experiential Marketing & Phygital Events
• Corporate Sponsorship & Brand Visibility Engine
• Gamification, Web3 & Global Digital Twin Networks
• Social Causes, Peace Diplomacy & Global Awareness
• Youth Empowerment & Urban Community Building
• Academic R&D, Biomechanics & Neurotechnology
• Orthopedic Technology, Rehabilitation & Veterans Support
• Interactive Museums & “Cobot Art” Co-Creation

What are we looking for?

We are looking for passionate partners willing to bring the vision of HPVs and the ark of human innovation to life.

• Persons, institutions, and artists who want to integrate the HPVs into their creations
• Venues, museums, galleries, etc. interested in organizing expos about the history and making-of of HPVs (there are beautiful maquettes, drawings, and animations that are artistic in their own right). The prototype in itself can be exposed as an artistic creation.
• Any organisation willing to explore a trinity of some kind. Can be the trinity of the three sports of triathlon, but also other trinities such as the trinity of Home Sapiens, Homo Faber, and Homo Ludens; the trinity of the past, the present, and the future; the trinity of space, time, and place.

We are also looking for partners that can help us with part 2 of the project:

• Creating the monumental version of the HPVs
• Adding the digital layers
• Integrating 
• Creating the humanly unthinkable

If interested, please contact me via the usual channels.