Nike has designed a running suit for the American Olympic athletics team that was inspired by a golf ball’s aerodynamic nature. It’s called the TurboSpeed suit, and rightly so – after being tested for hundreds of hours in a wind tunnel for over a year, it has been said that this suit could give the American team a speed advantage over other teams.
Every second counts
How much of a speed advantage? Well, the suit has been said to peel 0.023 seconds off a 100 metre sprint. On paper this doesn’t sound like a large amount, but when you’re talking about fractions of seconds and how much they count, it could really make a difference. However, it remains to be seen if this Nike suit could help the US athletic team close the gap between themselves and Usain Bolt. Maybe the suits really do work to give athletes an advantage. Or perhaps it’s really a case of mind over matter. If the team thinks it’s got an advantage, this could cause them to run even faster!
Teeing off!
The suit fabric contains dimples that mimic the indentations on a golf ball. The company studied the aerodynamic nature of golf balls and discovered that the textures and dimples help in its efficiency, so they were inspired to design the suits with golf balls in mind. Patterned patches appear on the forearm and leg because these are the parts of the body that move the fastest. These dimples help to make suits more aerodynamic by reducing air drag so that athletes can move faster instead of being held back by the air.
Going green
The best part about the suit is that it’s manufactured with green loving in mind. It is made from 82% recycled polyester material. Every outfit uses approximately 13 plastic bottles!
