Bournemouth UniversityBryce Dyer, Senior Lecturer in Product Design at Bournemouth University wrote a feature article for The Conversation discussing some of the technology used in the Winter Paralympic Games.
Dyer stated, “Technology has long been a part of sport. Every event, whether it’s cycling, sailing or skiing requires uniquely designed technology. Over in Sochi right now, athletes are showcasing the greatest of innovations being pushed to the limits of their design.”
A number of innovative solutions have been created to assist competitors such as; Bluetooth headsets for the visually impaired, sophisticated sit ski’s where a seat is mounted to a single ski, and electro-acoustic headphones to effectively “aim” by listening to a tone that varies in pitch as they move their gun on target.
One of the newest additions to this year’s Winter Paralympics is snowboarding. For this event, specialised prosthetic limbs have been developed using linkages and pneumatic springs to help absorb impacts, but allowing “competitors to perform manoeuvres without being restricted by weight and mobility”.
“The Paralympic Games showcases novel sports that require innovative solutions to get the best from athletes, be it through engineering, wireless technology or adaptation of traditional equipment.”