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Tech toys rule @ the Olympic Games
By siliconindia
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Thursday, 21 August 2008, 16:32 IST
Mumbai: Technology innovations are at its maximum best in the contemporary scenario, making every actions and processes faster and easier. Even the Beijing Olympics is no exception. After assisting in the magnificent inauguration ceremonies, the technology is now helping athletes at the 2008 Beijing Olympics games to smash records, reported Business Standard.
It was with the help of the swimwear LZR Racer, launched by UK-based Speedo, that athletes smashed 44 out of 48 world records (including seven Olympic gold medal winner Michael Phelps at the Beijing games). The swimwear is ultra-sonically welded, hence has no seams which reduces passive drag and increases speed of those athletes who wear it. The suit was created in cooperation with NASA scientists.
On the track, the new Nike Swift Suit is said to deliver a benefit of about .02 of a second in the 100 metres. Moreover, Nike's Flywire technology allowed it to make its lightest and strongest footwear ever. Track spikes with Flywire are now less than 100 grams.
Similarly, the Australian cycling team will use new bicycles that were tested in wind tunnels, to help develop optimal aerodynamic carbon frame shapes and reduce drag. Currently, the similar technology is being used for designing aircraft.
On garments' side, Nike's Aerographics is an engineered mesh that can remove up to half the yarn in a garment, facilitating a cut in weight by reducing the amount of material, while adding comfort and passive cooling to the garment itself. It is a big help given the heat and humidity in Beijing in August.
To ensure the high precision needed during an Olympics event, German sports goods firm Adidas designed a racing shoe called Lone Star for the U.S. athlete Jeremy Wariner.
The shoe's carbon nanotube sole is 20 times stronger than steel and its spike pattern makes the wearer always lean towards the left as the track oval demands a leftward propulsion from the athlete.
Adidas also introduced adiStar range of rowing shoes with internal rowing plates under the forefoot that attach the shoes to the boat and help provide direct transfer of power from the oarsman to the boat itself.
In other fronts of the event, Infineon Technologies had announced that one of its automotive power modules is being used to power energy-saving and environmentally-friendly cars that will be used at the Beijing Olympic Games. Panasonic has been supporting the Olympic Games in the areas of image and sound since it took on sponsorship of the Olympic Games. Two 153 m2 ASTROVISION large-screen displays has been featured in the Beijing National Stadium.
Incidentally, the Beijing Olympics event is officially the most expensive gaming event in history with around $41 billion spent between 2001 and 2007 on infrastructure, energy, transportation and water supply projects.