Technological Influences on Human Performance

12.1

Ergonomics

Ergonomics

• study of human-factors engineering, attempts to make the interactions of humans and mechanical objects (desks, chairs, etc.) as efficient as possible and to reduce the strain placed on the user.

• An ergonomist determines how to alter a mechanical object to fit humans in general and the specific user. Many technological breakthroughs in sport are based on ergonomics.

• Many sports injuries are a result of repetitive stress (RSI) or cumulative trauma (CTD). Can you name any RSI’s?

Hockey

• Goalie masks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMbXU4njAw4&feature=relmfu

Football

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPr4-P19NtE

Auto racing

• Nomex suits

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YK4E9SrVTKs

Fabrics

• Elastic

• Lycra – whole garments can be “elasticized”

• Wicking fabrics

Evolution of the hockey stick

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONB9kJR_-wE

Tennis Racquet

Speed skating• Clap skate invented by

Dutch scientists

• A longer stride is achieved

• Mocked at first than in Nagano (1998) records were shattered

• Caused controversy, but the clap skate is now widely accepted

Swimming• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLBscMz3O5Y

• FINA banned all body-length swimsuits. The decision was made during the 2009 World Aquatics Championships.

• The new policy states that men's swimsuits may maximally cover the area from the waist to the knee, and women's counterparts from the shoulder to the knee.

• They also ruled that the fabric used must be a "textile" or a woven material and that a suit may not have any fastening devices such as a zipper (drawstrings on male jammers are allowed). FINA did not specify what they meant by "textile." The new regulations took effect in January 2010.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTCA9JI5354

• Do you agree that these suits are now banned?