Trends in Winter Olympics High Tech Equipment

In 2005 material scientists, wind tunnel researchers and the top human athletes around the world got together to better their teams in the ultimate contests of human will, strength of character and state-of-the-art equipment; The Olympic Games.Lightweight bleeding edge equipment was on their agenda; the need for speed in their blood. Speed skating saw new clothing to reduce drag, increase flexibility and keep the athletes at optimum temperature, while nations around the world enlisted their top scientists to look for better blade designs to improve speed on the ice.In the Bobsled competition where every fraction of an inch of parasite drag can cost the team a half a second on their run, the wind tunnel testing, techniques and human ergonomics were studied until both athlete and researcher were blue in the face. For down hill skiing the athletes performed under a microscope or video enhanced digital engineers studying every bend and stress in the body and the skis.Rigidity and fluidity of motion were nothing to take lightly and ever advantage from the shape and hue of the lenses of the goggles to the bulges in the uniform were considered along with the ski pulls and skis.

For these men and women any slight edge could mean the difference between the Gold Metal and the Agony of defeat.In The 2006 Winter Olympics we will see all this come to life and find out which teams have the best over all teams on and off the snow and ice. So think on this in 2006.

WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/.

By: Lance Winslow