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be used in international competition. They felt
that the suits were having more impact than
the athletes and that fairness dictated that
the swimmers return to older styles starting
with the 2012 London Olympics.
Athletes get hit.
Physical sports such as
football, lacrosse, and hockey provide players
with pads and protection. Tech has helped
make those materials lighter but still stron-
ger. One of the most visible pieces of pro-
tective gear is the football helmet. While the
effects of blows to the head are clearly nega-
tive, helmet designs are working to reduce
that impact. Several companies invented sen-
sors that can be put on or in helmets. These
sensors measure the forces on the head and
the helmet. The information can be read by
a trainer or doctor on the sideline, who can
quickly pull out a player. A California teenag-
er invented a helmet that was said to be able
to reduce concussions by 55 percent, though
testing is still ongoing. The key for the suc-
cess of these helmet technologies will be
acceptance by players, who still resist most
changes to the helmet.
Bouncing Into the Future
T
he
ball
is
the
basic
piece
of
gear
for
doz
-
ens of sports. Technology has not for-
gotten about this most basic piece of
equipment. Here are some examples.