Over the past two decades communication devices and the age of computers have transformed the way we view and study sports, and it's not stopping any time soon.
If you're an avid NFL fan like myself, you've probably come to take for granted technologies such as the well-known 1st & Ten system, which has been in use since 1998 (and got its first go with a game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens). It's the tech that lets us see the locations of the line of scrimmage and first down marker by projecting it on television feeds. More recently, you might have heard about some communications issues (conspiracy!) at Gilette Stadium, where opposing teams routinely claim to hear the Patriots' radio broadcast through the headsets and helmets they'd otherwise use to gameplan against their opponents. So to what extent does the advancement of electronics (and wireless technology in particular) find its way into American football, and sports in general? I'll cover a handful of examples here, mostly from football, but also hockey.
American Football - Wireless/RF Technology
In the NFL there is one particularly iconic use of radio electronics to support the game (in contrast to the reported communications issues mentioned earlier). One player on offense and one on defense are allowed to wear helmets outfitted with radios, which allow them to receive voice from the coaching staff on the sidelines. This is usually assigned to the players on the field who call audibles and pre-snap adjustments - always the quarterback on offense, and usually (but not always) one of the middle linebackers on defense. These helmets are clearly marked with a green circle on the back:
Perhaps more impressive than a radio for a player or two to hear from the coach is a development fromZebra Technologies allowing real-time tracking of players via RFID chips implanted into shoulderpads. These chips allow the NFL to track player movement and provide us stats on speed and distance travelled over the course of a game. Now that the system is installed in every NFL stadium, you can expect that more advanced metrics on situational and overall player performance will become available soon.
9 High-Tech Shoes Step Into the Future: Photos
Nike Designer Tim Hatfield recently announced that self-tightening power laces, like the ones seen on Marty McFly’s Air Mag shoes in "Back To The Future Part II," could be arriving as soon as next year. The revelation sent sneaker aficionados into a frenzy, but it also hinted that a radical shift in shoe design is just around the corner.
D'Wayne Edwards, a former shoe design director for Nike’s Jordan Brand and founder of Pensole, a footwear design academy for youth, told DNews he expects big innovations in the coming years. While some shoe companies may capitalize on the "cool factor" of emerging technologies to create gimmicky products, he said "if technology is used in it’s pure form -- to make the human body better or to make the person more in tune with their body, feet or footwear -- then it will only be an enhancement."
'Back To The Future' Power Laces Coming Soon
While there's no shortage of fitness tracking applications for shoes, Edwards foresees even greater advancements coming down the design pipeline -- from 3D-printed shoes and sneakers that tell runners if they over pronate, to soles that stimulate muscles and alert wearers if their back needs adjusting.
But tomorrow's shoe innovations are already starting to appear in today’s high-tech footwear. So click through, try on a pair and see if any are a good fit.
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