3 Questions. 3 Hints. 3 Answers.
1. How is technology making at least one U.S. Olympic athlete faster, legally?
Hint:
Answer: biomechanics is helping to make U.S. sprinter Justin Gatlin so fast it is hoped he will muster enough speed to beat Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, and it all comes down to stick figures. Biomechanics specialist, Ralph Mann, has developed a digital performance video program that “superimposes a stick figure composed of lines in different fluorescent hues directly over Gatlin’s” body while he is running, representing Gatlin’s prime physical positions. If the athlete and the stick figure are a complete match, “Gatlin won’t just put Bolt away, he’ll shatter world records.” The program’s personalized algorithms are designed to obtain the greatest efficiency for the athlete in question. Read the details here.
2. What may potentially replace drugs in athletic doping?
Hint:
Answer: cutting and patching a pair of jeans, making them stronger, is similar to gene-editing or therapy techniques, and athletic associations are taking notice. The World Anti Doping Agency, WADA, is already looking into a gene-doping blood test to weed out enhanced athletes. Is it too early to be concerned? The technology, developed primarily to fight diseases, comes with health risks and is not yet available on the open market. In the U.S., gene therapy is limited in application to clinical trials. Read more here.
3. What controversial device is being used to make athletes better at what they do?
Hint:
Answer: Halo headphones, which send an electric current to the brain’s movement-coordinating motor cortex, are being promoted as (legal) athletic performance enhancers, though some scientists are cautious about their use and positive impact in athletics. Brain stimulation, if done correctly, can be beneficial in certain medical contexts but if done incorrectly, may cause health problems or be ineffective. Since it is not marketed as a medical device, the FDA does not regulate the product. Read the story here.