20 most recent innovations in sports

Reusable Zip-Tie Lock

Mon, 24 Apr 2017 00:00:00 Z

Hailed as the first reusable zip-tie style lock, the lightweight yet strong Z Lok from Hiplok can be carried in a pocket.

Resembling a basic zip-tie, the Z Lok was created as a ‘café lock,’ to secure a bike while sitting nearby. The lock’s stainless steel core will resist cutting, and it can be unlocked with the included two-pronged key. As well as securing bikes nearby, the Z Lok can also be used to attach accessories securely, such as helmets or other gear.

Antarctica-spec Fatbike Puts The Power To Both Wheels

Tue, 25 Oct 2016 00:00:00 Z

This custom-made all-wheel drive fattie has been designed and built for the specific purpose of powering explorer Kate Leeming across the Antarctic continent via the South Pole. In tandem with the standard drivetrain you’d find on any normal bike is a driveshaft linkage connecting the powered rear wheel to the normally inactive front wheel.

Mountain Meets The Sea In New Diving Fin Design

Thu, 22 Sep 2016 00:00:00 Z

Inspired by modern click-in/click-out ski binding systems, Italian entrepreneur Paolo Piumatti figured that scuba divers could benefit from something just as convenient. The resulting Finclip system lets divers get their fins on with no awkward bending over or sitting down.

Because wearing fins makes it difficult to walk around, they typically go on last when suiting up for a dive. This means that the diver is already wearing their heavy tanks and weight belt, so bending down and balancing on one foot to pull on the fins can be difficult – even potentially treacherous.

Finclip is designed to address this problem. It replaces the heel strap of any open-heel type fin with a shoe horn-like device, that stays attached full-time. Users just push their booted foot in, step down, and the integrated strap lever will snap up against their heel.

Getting out still does require the user to reach down, although they just need to flip the lever back over when doing so.

Training Tech Lets Competitive Swimmers Hear Water Pressure

Wed, 10 Aug 2016 00:00:00 Z

Swimming has been an Olympic sport for 120 years, and nowadays it's the competitors with the best technique that manage to beat the rest of the field and walk away with the medals. Now, researchers at Bielefeld University in Germany have developed technology that could provide athletes with an edge in training, converting pressure data into live audio, allowing the swimmer to perfect their technique in real time.

The idea of the new system is to enhance the athlete's perception of the water that surrounds them. Swimmers can already see the way that their hands and body move through the water, and they can feel the way it glides over them. Bielefeld's "Swimming Sonification" system takes things to the next level, recording flow pressure and converting it into audio feedback.

It consists of a pair of specialized gloves, which include a number of thin tubes placed between the fingers. Water passes through the tubes as the swimmer moves through the water, measuring water flow pressure. That data is then fed to specially-designed software that translates the information into sound, which the athlete then hears in real-time through headphones.

Anti-Microbial Unisuit Gives US Rowers An Extra Layer Of Protection In Rio

Thu, 28 Jul 2016 00:00:00 Z

Come this year's Olympic Games, competitors will be fighting more than just the world's finest sportspeople for glory. Holding the games in Rio has created another set of adversaries for athletes: bugs and bacteria in the air and water. The US Olympic rowing team will be going into battle with a new anti-microbial suit, designed to help keep them safe from whatever lurks within the contaminated waters in Lagoa Stadium.

The seamless unisuit has been developed by Mark Sunderland and Robert J. Rechlin, both of whom hold positions at Philadelphia University. New fiber blending technology allows the lightweight suit to go without seams, and the material is resistant to external moisture without sacrificing the wicking quality athletes crave from their clothes.

Perhaps more important than the suit's seamless design is the anti-microbial material knitted into it. Designers say it will provide an extra layer of protection against the murky waters at Lagoa Stadium, where reports have suggested athletes may be competing in water contaminated with anything from rubbish to untreated sewage.

"The seamless construction and other innovations in the unisuit take it to another level of technology in performance wear," says Sunderland. "We are setting a new standard of excellence in rowing apparel."

Although the suit sounds good in theory, the fact a rower's arms, chest, back and head are still exposed means it's not exactly a failsafe way of protecting them. It also doesn't do anything to prevent the bane of any rower's existence: blisters. That said, it'll be interesting to see if the unisuit and tights have an impact come the games.

As well as supplying US Rowers with the unisuit, the team has fitted Nigeria's first Olympic rower with one of the suits in the green and white of her nation's flag.

Unsinkable Swimsuits

Thu, 19 May 2016 00:00:00 Z

A new, unsinkable swimsuit line keeps the wearer above water via a collection of tiny air bubbles in the lining.

Created by designer Katerina Semenko and inventor Valery Griaznov, the swimsuits were inspired by the fact that humans naturally float when our lungs are full of air. The suits are embedded with tubes filled with tiny air bubbles (which the team calls the Uslon Guarding system), and are inexpensive to manufacture. The added bit of buoyancy helps keep the wearer above water, and the suits are not affected by punctures.

Suspension On Snowboards

Thu, 14 Apr 2016 00:00:00 Z

While we've all seen footage of snowboarders swooshing through fresh powder, the fact is that they're more often banging their way down icy or rutted ski slopes. That being the case, why don't they have suspension like mountain bikes? Russia's Sergey Yarosh & Co Design thinks they should, which is why the company has developed the SANKIboard system.

SANKIboard is designed to be mounted on existing boards, with conventional third-party bindings in turn being mounted on it.

Using carbon fiber-reinforced fiberglass front and rear leaf-style shock absorbers, it reportedly soaks up both ongoing vibrations and big hits upon landings. According to the designers, this should allow for more control, less discomfort, and less muscle fatigue. Additionally, the increased height should keep riders' boots from contacting the slope during aggressive carving.

Plus, if riders sit on it between runs, their butt won't freeze.

Smart Rope Displays Jump Count In The Air

Thu, 24 Mar 2016 00:00:00 Z

Do you like to jump rope as part of your exercise routine? Let me introduce you to Tangram Factory’s Smart Rope, a jump rope with 23 LEDs embedded in the middle of the rope that light up in front of you to display your current jump count while you’re jumping, courtesy of the old persistence of vision effect.

You can pair it with a smartphone if you want to keep track of calories burned and other stats. So what we have here is a smart jump rope. About the only thing it doesn’t do is give you the words to those songs that girls sing when they Double Dutch.

This cool upgrade to the standard jump rope costs $90(USD). Or you can just get a rope for free and start jumping. You can count out loud if you want.

Tire Pump In Seatpost

Wed, 17 Feb 2016 00:00:00 Z

While there are various ways of stowing a compact tire pump within a bicycle, a full-size model is almost always going to make the pumping easier. Frame-fit hand pumps are certainly one way to go, but inventor Alexander Haager has created something stealthier – his AirSupply pump doubles as a seatpost.

To use the device, you just pull its coiled air hose out of a built-in under-saddle pack, attach that hose to the valve stem of the front or rear tire, release the AirSupply's locking collar, then start pumping the seat up and down by hand. It works with Schrader or Presta valves, and comes with adapters which allow it to fit in any diameter of seat tube.

The AirSupply also has an integrated pressure gauge, a built-in LED tail light (in the pack), and is designed to easily reach a maximum tire pressure of 116 psi (8 bar). It's made from forged 6061 and 7075 aluminum, tipping the scales at 480 g (16.9 oz) – keep in mind that some of that weight would replace that of an existing conventional seatpost.

Magnetic Pedals

Thu, 11 Feb 2016 00:00:00 Z

Many mountain bikers swear by the pedalling efficiency of so-called clipless pedals, in which a steel cleat on the bottom of each shoe engages a spring-loaded mechanism in the pedal. Some other riders, however, just don't like the idea of being "snapped in" like that. It was with this in mind that cyclist Dave Williams created MagLOCK pedals. They're non-threatening platform pedals, that keep the user's feet in place using magnets instead of mechanisms. We recently had a chance to try them out, and generally liked what they had to offer.

Each MagLOCK pedal features an anodized aluminum body with weight-saving cutouts, along with 10 removable cylindrical neodymium magnets inside. Those magnets are attracted to rectangular steel cleats attached to the bottom of each shoe – this means that cycling-specific shoes with cleat mounts must be used, if riders want the magnetic effect.

As with mechanical clipless pedals, riders release their feet from the MagLOCKs simply by pronating the foot outward. It's about as easy as disengaging from Shimano's popular SPD system when set to very low retention – the difference is, we found that the MagLOCKS kept our shoes in place on the pedals better than SPDs set to such a level.

All that being said, it must be admitted that lifting one's foot off of a regular platform pedal is easier still.

By removing a metal cover plate, users can take out the magnets one by one, until they reach a level of magnetic attraction with which they're comfortable. With all 10 magnets in place, each pedal has an attractive force of 35 lb (16 kg). We found that five magnets per pedal was about right for us. This allowed us to "pedal in circles" (i.e: pushing and pulling on the pedals, instead of just mashing down on them) and kept our feet from being bucked off the pedals while going over rough terrain, yet still allowed for easy disengagement.

We also appreciated the generous amount of float provided by the MagLOCKs. This means that our feet were able to swivel laterally a fair bit relative to each pedal, instead of being unyieldingly locked into one position. There is no way of adjusting the float, however.

As far as gripes go, one is that the magnet-removal process can be quite … trying. Despite following the instructions, we found it fairly difficult to keep the magnets from violently snapping onto one another, once they'd been pulled out of their cubby holes. By contrast, turning the spring-tensioning screw on a set of SPDs is much easier. Fortunately, it's a process that most users should have to go through just once.

New Technology Lets Wave Riders Be The Board

Thu, 21 Jan 2016 00:00:00 Z

Six years in the making, WaveWrecker is launching a specially designed wetsuit that changes the human shape into a hydrodynamic and streamlined wave catching machine – letting wave riders “Be The Board!”.

The WaveWrecker suit incorporates 11 built-in fins precisely placed to improve buoyancy, specifically targeted control surfaces to reduce drag, and rails to grab and hold waves – boosting performance to the extreme. The suit also uses proprietary neck and o-ring-like wrist closures, which prevent water intrusion, and neoprene thicknesses 2mm, 3mm and 4mm areas to maximize strength, mobility, buoyancy and comfort. Because of its buoyancy, WaveWrecker dramatically shortens the bodysurfing learning curve for beginners, and helps parents feel more confident about their kids’ safety in the water.

After testing the WaveWrecker suit, 2015 World Champion Bodysurfer Makena Magro commented, “I felt a lot faster in the water, and the suit’s added buoyancy made it much easier to concentrate on maneuvering across the face of the wave.” She added, “WaveWrecker let me spend less time and energy treading water, and focus on catching waves.”

WaveWrecker creator and San Diego resident Nick Gadler, a longtime bodysurfer, came up with the idea for the wave-riding suit while teaching his son to swim in their backyard pool. Exhausted, treading water in the deep end waiting for his son to swim over, Gadler grabbed some pool noodles to prop himself up and float in the water.

“It was then I thought, ‘Man, if I could be naturally buoyant like this in the ocean, imagine the waves I could catch’,” said Gadler. “It’s extremely rare that something totally new and never before seen comes along and completely changes the landscape, actually the waterscape, but WaveWrecker is transformative technology in motion – a complete game changer.”

Diving Watch Filled With Oil

Mon, 21 Dec 2015 00:00:00 Z

Diving watches are notoriously bulky affairs, and it isn't just for looks. The heavy construction and thick crystals are necessary to keep the timepiece from imploding in deep waters. The Ressence Type 5 recreational diving watch takes a different approach by adopting a shape inspired by sea turtles and filling it with oil, which not only makes it more pressure resistant, but also makes it readable underwater from any angle.

If you've ever gone scuba diving, you may have noticed that dive watches are often very difficult to read due to what's called "total internal reflection." Underwater, the refraction in an air-filled space behind watch crystals turn them into mirrors, so to read the time it's necessary to look at the dial straight on. Since keeping one eye on the time is vital for safe diving, it's a common and constant irritation.

By immersing the entire movement and dial in 37.5 ml of oil, the Ressence Type 5 design eliminates the refraction and reflection, so the dial can be read from any angle. In addition, the oil provides a magnifying effect and gives the illusion that the crystal isn't there. It's a solution that's been used for some digital watches, but Ressence says that this is a first for a mechanical watch.

Another advantage is that since oil isn't compressible, the Type 5 eliminates the need for a heavy case and crystal. The oil also lubricates all the components and suspends the parts, so they're effectively working in zero gravity. This means less power is needed to drive the movement and it's more accurate.

The party piece of the Type 5 is that the dials aren't static, but revolve about the main disc, which Ressence claims produces a more intuitive readout. In addition, the indicators are filled with blue and green Superluminova for day and night use.

Self-Inflatable Bicycle Tube

Tue, 15 Dec 2015 00:00:00 Z

It was three years ago that we first heard about inventor Benjamin Krempel's PumpTire – it was a prototype bicycle tire that used wheel motion to keep itself inflated. While it was an interesting idea, it would require users to give up their existing tires, plus the peristaltic pumping mechanism would be compromised once the tread wore away. Well, he has now come up what sounds like a better alternative: the PumpTube.

Here's the general idea regarding how it works …

Air is drawn in from the atmosphere through a one-way valve, which sits in the valve stem. Instead of going directly into the inner tube, however, the air goes into one end of the tube-like pumping mechanism, which runs along the outside perimeter of the main inner tube. As the tire rolls against the ground, the pumping mechanism is compressed, forcing air into the inner tube. The resulting absence of air in the pumping mechanism creates a vacuum effect, drawing more air in through the valve.

That said, if the inner tube is already at its desired pressure (which can be set on a dial on the valve stem), no additional air is pulled in.

The idea behind the technology is that riders will no longer need to pump up their tires in order to compensate for seepage or pinhole leaks. While larger punctures may not have as much of an effect as they would otherwise, they'll still ultimately need to be patched.

Cycling Computer Integrated In Handlebar

Mon, 09 Nov 2015 00:00:00 Z

The SpeedForce from SpeedX fits a cycling computer and headlight inside the handlebar stem, offering a sleek, self-contained package.

Meant to replace the existing bike stem, the SpeedForce communicates with the system’s included pedal and wheel sensors using ANT+ wireless protocol, while its Bluetooth connectivity allows the user to access their smartphone for more functions. Information (such as navigation cues and message alerts) is displayed on the SpeedForce’s 1.6-inch color screen, and collected data is stored on the device’s onboard memory.

Double-Use Drink Bottle

Wed, 14 Oct 2015 00:00:00 Z

Decathlon has launched Aptonia – a patented bottle that allows the user to choose between plain water and isotonic drinks.

Aptonia’s Double Use system allows the user to switche between water and an isotonic drink, simply by adjusting the drinking spout.

Decathlon said: “During prolonged sporting activity, hydration requirements can vary. Between water and sports drink, it’s sometimes difficult to know what to take with you. With the Double Use system, you can choose what to drink in one click: you can switch between water and different strength sports drinks thanks to three concentration options and an exclusive pod system.

“So, looking for energy when you only have water or for refreshment when your bottle is filled with a sports drink is a thing of the past. With the Double Use System you no longer have to choose.”

The Aptonia Double Use system uses “pods” to allow different concentrations of energy solution to be available to the user.

Self-Rolling Yoga Mat

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 00:00:00 Z

Does the frustration involved with rolling up a mat keep you from avoiding a daily yoga routine? That’s my excuse, which is now rendered moot with a yoga mat that rolls up tightly all by itself thanks to some fashion technology that was popular in the 1990s.

The YoYo Mat, which is attempting to raise $50,000 via Kickstarter to fund a large production run, looks and feels like your typical foam yoga mat. So you’re not making any compromises when it comes to weight or comfort. But it’s been upgraded with a pair of flat metal strips embedded along each edge of the mat that become rigid when unfurled ensuring the YoYo Mat always lies flat on the floor.

When your workout is over, simply picking up the YoYo Mat causes those metal strips to ‘snap’ and the whole thing to roll up on itself. It’s not exactly a solution to the planet’s most pressing issues, but the days of wrangling a six-feet long foam mat into a tight roll will soon be ancient history for yoga enthusiasts.

Brakelight Illuminates When Cyclists Slow Down

Thu, 13 Aug 2015 00:00:00 Z

The Sigma Brakelight will illuminate automatically when a cyclist squeezes the brakes, making the rider more visible while alerting following vehicles.

Claimed to be compatible with any bike with a cable-activated rear brake, the Brakelight attaches to the rear brake cable, between the calipers, with a standard Allen wrench. When the calipers squeeze together to begin the braking action, the Brakelight’s red LED will illuminate and signal the rider’s intention.

High Impact Running Shoes

Thu, 06 Aug 2015 00:00:00 Z

Conserving all the energy stored in each of your strides, Christian Freschi’s ENKO running shoes deliver powerful performance with maximal comfort. Outfitting the heel of his shoe with patented spring-loaded tech, Freschi’s engineering promises an optimized run for any weight or shoe size.

The secret behind the shoe, two centimeters worth of shock absorbers, help to prevent common injuries associated with high impact and poor running form. Coupled with a supple and breathable fabric at the toe box—as well as interchangeable studding throughout the soles for longevity two to three times greater than that of a traditional running shoe—ENKO looks to revolutionize the current enterprise that is the running sneaker.

Cooling Mask

Mon, 03 Aug 2015 00:00:00 Z

The idea started when United States Olympic champion and decathlon world record holder Ashton Eaton, needed something to help him speed up his recovery time between events during competition. ‘A perfect scenario would be to feel like you’ve just started on every event. The more you do, the more attrition you experience,’ explains Eaton. ‘Rather than realizing immediate physiological gain, the challenge is more about reducing the mental attrition from the two days to maximize each event. After asking questions about current recovery techniques, the conversation prompted me to ask myself: why does it feel good, after running, to pour a bottle of water over your head? I don’t know the physiological answer, but the fact that it does feel better makes me perform better. ‘

Nike sports research lab was already exploring the performance benefits of cooling the face, finding out that the face is two to five times more sensitive that any other body surface. Ashton, in cooperation with Nike ‘apparel innovation team’, the cooling mask with head and neck coverage was created. The inner layers are designed to retain cool water without leaking, and at the same time, the mask keeps cold portions in place while maintaining a secure fit. The Nike cooling mask is still in development in other sports as well, with many iterations of the hood being tested. Nike will perfect the idea as elite track and field competitions arrive in the next 18 months.

Cageless Cycling Water Bottle

Thu, 23 Jul 2015 00:00:00 Z

Although most cyclists probably don't give much thought to their water bottle or bottle cage, the fact is that like just about anything else, those components can be lightened and simplified. That's just what British cycling design company Fabric has done, with its new Cageless water bottle.

The idea behind the product is pretty simple. Instead of a separate cage and bottle, Cageless consists of a BPA-free 600-mL bottle with built-in retaining clips, and a couple of plastic studs that mount on the bike's existing cage bosses. The clips on the bottle engage those studs, so there's no empty cage left sitting on the frame when the bottle isn't being used.