Sports imPULSE

Hologram Technology From ESPN - It's Just Like Being There

ESPN is working on virtual set technology that allows anchors or players in distant locations to appear as holograms on-screen. The cable sports giant plans to start using the technology on-air in the spring.  This is actually pretty cool, check out ESPN's hologram technology here.

To demonstrate the virtual technology at a media briefing, ESPN assembled longtime anchor Chris Berman and EVP of technology Chuck Pagano in a conference room, seated some eight feet apart, with a series of large HD displays behind them. Then longtime anchor Bob Ley magically appeared, seated on a chair between them, in hologram form on the TV screens.

Ley's virtual appearance onscreen was remarkably realistic, without the significant image blurring seen in previous versions of hologram technology, such as what CNN used on Election Night last fall.

I imagine there will be a number of interesting applications such as allowing ESPN to bring images of players directly into the studio for analysis or interviews.

Gladiator Meets Cycling

Here is what you get when you cross Cycling with the movie The Gladiator.

This is from design shop Canedo Studios.  You have to admit, this is pretty cool and actually quite functional.  You can adjust the size through strategically placed rubber attachments and the eye-shades protect from glare.  Additionally, you probably won't get much heat-build up due to the unique design

Although it's still in concept stage, I do hope this makes it to the retail market.

 

Sports Technologies We Love - Streaming Internet Video

Let's say you're a Boston Celtics fan who lives in Scotland. Or a Celtic Football Club fan who lives in Boston. (It's a Scottish soccer team, trust me.) Twenty years ago, watching all the games would have been a near-impossibility. But now, with league- and team-sponsored video services, fans can catch live, high-quality game feeds no matter where they live, with an Internet connection and a fast enough computer.

Sports Technologies We Love - High Tech Stadiums

Sure, old-time ballparks like Fenway Park and Wrigley Field have their charm, and even my beloved Veterans Stadium had it's own unique characteristics that only a Philly fan could love, but fans today are being treated to some really cool, interactive technology at state-of-the-art arenas such as the new Yankee Stadium and Cowboys Stadium. Both facilities make use of Cisco's StadiumVision, which allows fans to interact with the event experience by taping and accessing instant replays on a handheld device and sharing it with other participants, or with anyone on the Internet.  The Cowboys stadium also features the world's largest HDTV and 3,000 HD displays featuring customized game footage and real-time information.

Now only if they would do something about the parking.....

Sports Technology Has Come To Athletic Tape

Go longer and harder with ROCKTAPE.  That's the slogan for this performance enhancing product and it actually makes sense.  ROCKTAPE power taping technology is an interesting product beginning to get traction in the fitness and recovery market.  Used heavily in cycling and recently featured in the US Jr. National Cycling Championships, ROCKTAPE is similar to other kinesiology tapes that appeared in the Summer Olympics, but its unique patent-pending “Power Plow” pattern, tighter weave and stickier adhesive claims to make it more appropriate for high impact and endurance sports.

How Does It Work?
Unlike traditional athletic tape which binds and doesn’t stretch, ROCKTAPE is engineered to mimic the human skin. This stretchiness is the secret.  ROCKTAPE stretches up to 190% of its original length but can easily ’snap-back’ or recover. This is what gives it the performance advantage over other tapes.

Whether used for muscle repair, stability management, recovery or enhanced performance, this could be a valuable component in any athlete’s toolkit.

I haven't used it yet, but would love to hear from anyone who has.

SGMA Sports Trends in America - Biggest Increase is in Ultimate Frisbee

The Sporting Goods Manufacturing Association (SGMA) issues an annual report highlighting sports trends in the US and which sports are growing and which sports are, well, not growing.

Lacrosse remains the fastest growing sport, however, the biggest increase in participation in team sports in 2008 was ultimate Frisbee, up 20.8 percent.

The worst decline in participation in team sports in 2008 was roller hockey, down 15.4 percent.

And, did you know last year, 6 percent of tackle football players and 18 percent of paintball players were female.

For more, check out Darren Rovell's (of CNBC) story here

Custom Fit With Tool-less Manufacturing

Henry Ford's early customers could have any color car, so long as it was black. In the marketplace, the greatest barrier to choice is cost. Elite athletes can drop thousands of dollars on custom-fit equipment, but for most players, it's just a dream.

Now, affordable, in-store diagnostics, including 3-D body scanners that analyze body geometry and kinematics, coupled with "tool-less" or direct digital manufacturing in place of molded dies or templates, are making custom-fit a true possibility.

University research labs are helping to make the technology a reality. Scientists can use 3D body scanners that image about 300,000 points on the body to develop virtual try-on systems and clothes that can be custom-made on the spot.

 

Once a scan has been taken, different software can be used to merge separate camera views into a single surface for research purposes.

Robotics - More Technologies That Are Transforming Sports

Robots offer scientists many benefits. They don't complain, get sick, charge overtime or take vacation. And they can be programmed to repeat the same motion over and over. Commonly used in automobile and other manufacturing settings, robots programmed to simulate sports movements such as tennis or golf swings can help engineers test equipment and surfaces. Robots can even be programmed to sweat. Using robots, researchers can do more tests in less time, under highly controlled settings.

A team of researchers from Kanazawa University in Japan has developed an experimental system using a skiing robot to investigate the effects of joint motions on ski turns. Such a system could ultimately serve as a model to help skiers improve their own movements. And a team from the the University of Tokyo has developed two robots, one that can pitch and one that can bat, to study the physics of baseball.  The pitching robot can throw with almost 100 percent accuracy and the batting robot can hit them with more than 90 percent accuracy, when thrown in the strike zone.

Soccer Armour From Reactive Materials

High-speed sports put athletes at risk. Until recently, protective clothing that could absorb impact was often bulky and restrictive. That's changing with the development of materials such as U.K.-based d3o and Dow Corning's Active Protection System materials. Both are made from materials that flex and move with a body in action but immediately harden upon impact.  For example, Light, breathable and washable, shin guards from Dow Corning protect players from injury without the extra bulk.

Researchers at the University of Delaware have embedded materials with nanoparticles that become instantly rigid as soon as a kinetic energy threshold is crossed.

That can come in handy for athletes, who could seriously hurt themselves if they fell and for people in the military or in law enforcement, who come into bodily harm unexpectedly on the job. And as a benefit, many of these products are washable. Recent applications include gear for downhill skiers and dirt bike racers, as well as ballet shoes, soccer balls, shorts for equestrians, and protective gear for soldiers and law enforcement agents.

It's Hot Outside! Here's A Way To Stay Cool

Late summer, football and soccer practice has begun, two-a-day practice sessions, oh, the good old days.  Some of you remember, I sure do.  And with the heat, the increased risk of over heating.

The Inner-Cooler Performance Wrap is a viable solution to beat the heat.  It's a personal under garment which uses state of the art “convection” technology to control the wearer’s body temperature in hot climates and during strenuous activity.

The Inner Cooler reduces the negative effects of an elevated body core temperature by quickly drawing heat away from the surface of the skin and dissipating it into the air through evaporation. The result is improved comfort and performance.

Athletes using the Inner-Cooler report better endurance, less dehydration and quicker recovery times.

The Inner-Cooler Performance Wrap can be worn before during and after an event. It fits nicely under a jersey, chest protector or neck brace, is simple to use, durable and machine washable.

Would love to hear from anyone who has used this.  Please let us know.