Inaugural lectures
Wednesday May 20, 2009 at 5.30pm - Lecture theatre T003, Wolfson School
The Role of Technology and Innovation in Sport
Professor Mike Caine,
Wolfson School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering
Sales of sports equipment, sports apparel and athletic footwear exceed $100 billion per annum in the USA alone. Many sports permit the use of equipment that has evolved over time. Moreover, it is evident that athletic performance can be enhanced by the intelligent design of sports equipment.
However, a delicate balance exists between tradition and the pursuit of improved performance via equipment optimisation.
Given the size of the sporting goods industry and the popularity of sport as a recreational activity, coupled with the importance society places on national sporting success, recent growth in academic disciplines allied to sport, including sports technology, is perhaps unsurprising.
This inaugural lecture explores the evolution of sports equipment and examines the role of research and innovation in this context; drawing substantially on examples emanating from the research activity of Professor Caine.