How BMW's Tech Helped American Swimming Team Win Gold At Rio Olympics
Sameer Contractor
1 min read
Aug 12, 2016, 07:30 PM
Key Highlights
- BMW's autonomous driving technology helped train the athletes
- The tech helps provide more accurate data about the athlete's movements
- American swimmer Michael Phelps has won 22 gold medals in Olympics
The American Swimming team has grabbed up to twenty four medals at the Rio Olympics with star swimmer Michael Phelps having won his 22nd Olympic gold as well. While that is commendable feat to achieve, little did we know that car maker BMW has had a significant role to play in the team's success. The German car maker has been instrumental in helping the American swimming team perform well in the 2016 Summer Olympics.
BMW is helping the US Swimming athletes train for the Olympics. The athletes are using the automaker's autonomous driving technology to improve and enhance their training skills. Being a time-based event, athletes need to shave off every second possible from their time and improving on every little manoeuvre comes to their advantage.
The athletes use customised technology adapted from the LED lighting system seen on BMW's autonomous vehicles. Much like the car that uses the system to track movements of objects and obstacles on road; the LEDs are strapped to the swimmer's wrists, shoulders, hips, knees, ankles and toes using 3D-printed mounts. Concurrently, an underwater camera uses motion-tracking technology to break down the swimmer's movements. This, in turn, helps the swimmer to understand how he can improve his performance.
Interestingly, this isn't the first time the US Swimming team adopted BMW autonomous driving technology. The team had trained for the 2012 London Olympics using similar albeit older version of autonomous driving tech. Obviously, the latest version offers more accurate results, and does not feel intrusive to the swimmer either. Certainly, it does get to hard to comprehend at times the vast applications of technology.
Apart from its involvement with the US Swimming team, BMW has been more actively involved in the Olympics on different levels. The automaker previously developed a racing wheelchair for the Rio Paralympics, while a two-man bobsled was also made for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.
BMW is helping the US Swimming athletes train for the Olympics. The athletes are using the automaker's autonomous driving technology to improve and enhance their training skills. Being a time-based event, athletes need to shave off every second possible from their time and improving on every little manoeuvre comes to their advantage.
The athletes use customised technology adapted from the LED lighting system seen on BMW's autonomous vehicles. Much like the car that uses the system to track movements of objects and obstacles on road; the LEDs are strapped to the swimmer's wrists, shoulders, hips, knees, ankles and toes using 3D-printed mounts. Concurrently, an underwater camera uses motion-tracking technology to break down the swimmer's movements. This, in turn, helps the swimmer to understand how he can improve his performance.
Interestingly, this isn't the first time the US Swimming team adopted BMW autonomous driving technology. The team had trained for the 2012 London Olympics using similar albeit older version of autonomous driving tech. Obviously, the latest version offers more accurate results, and does not feel intrusive to the swimmer either. Certainly, it does get to hard to comprehend at times the vast applications of technology.
Apart from its involvement with the US Swimming team, BMW has been more actively involved in the Olympics on different levels. The automaker previously developed a racing wheelchair for the Rio Paralympics, while a two-man bobsled was also made for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.
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