There’s no Olympic medal for sports engineering. But breakthrough technology is playing a star role at the London games – if you know where to look. The National Science Foundation has teamed up with NBC’s Olympics and education division to create a guide to the split-second timekeepers, wave-reducing pools, high-performance gear, and other feats of technology that let athletes compete at their peak.
What do Rihanna, Katy Perry, and Lady Gaga have in common with engineering? All belt out chart-topping singles in a costume tailor-made for a techno beat and larger-than-life image: an LED dress. Wearable technology reaches beyond fashion to lightweight military armor and applications in sports, cybersecurity, and medicine. Check out these fun examples!
In science, speed is just distance divided by time. But in sports, where fractions of a second can determine champions, speed is everything. That’s why many athletes look to engineering for a high-tech edge that can maximize velocity and performance.
Take Nike’s new track and field uniforms — released just in time for the summer Olympics.
When snow melts in the Alps, European ski and snowboard fanatics may soon be heading to Skipark 360, 45 minutes from Stockholm, a year-round indoor winter sports arena with everything from downhill skiing to ice hockey and international slalom competitions.
