
Let’s take a look at some of the innovation in the Summer 2016 Olympics:
3D Printed Shoes
Nike engineers worked with Allison Felix and her trainers and coaches to design a custom 3D printed sprinting shoe for her individual specifications. The spiked sole of the shoe was printed using Selective Laser Sintering 3D printer. Additionally, Adidas is providing all of their sponsored athletes that win a medal ready-to-wear shoes with a 3D printed midsole and heel counter.
Wearables have gotten to a point where they can be used in real time without interfering with the athletes sport. This allows athletes and coaches to quantify performance in real time, gain better understanding, and make adjustments to yield optimal results.
The US Women’s volleyball team has been wearing a VERT jump monitor around players’ waists during training to calculate their jump heights and counts. This information is used to limit the number of player jumps and help prevent injury.
Solos Augmented Reality Glasses was developed alongside USA Cycling. It provides real time data about performance, navigation, and the ability to make calls and more.
Visa is the official payments partner of the Olympics and is providing their sponsored athletes with a Visa Payment ring. The athletes can simply wave their ring near the NFC card reader to make purchases. Everyone else will be able to, “swipe, tap, dip or click to pay in Rio” using mobile phone and payments wearables like wristbands.
Broadcasting Innovation
Innovation in broadcast technologies has been a part of Olympic history since the first live televised Olympics in 1936. In Rio there will be virtual reality footage available, use of drone cameras to cover the rowing competition, and Super High Vision (8K) video. Japan's NHK will broadcast 8K video at public broadcasting centers as regular televisions aren’t able to display 8K video yet.
Members of DAF Technologies regularly partner with organizations to accelerate their innovation initiatives. We identify opportunities for innovation, research and identify recommended emerging technologies, and pilot and integrate new technologies into business processes. Let us help you leverage emerging technologies to innovate and endure. If you have questions, please contact Director, Innovation & Technology Faith Davis at 301.541.8569 or [email protected]