Progressive Sports Technologies 2016

R&D partners to the sports industry

Progressive Sports Technologies Ltd, all rights reserved 2015

Progressive established in 2001 as a spin-out from the Sports Technology Research Group at Loughborough University

Since Progressive’s inception, our bespoke R&D programs have serviced the needs of the sports industry.

Our fully commercial operation runs from the Sports Technology Institute labs and wider campus facilities that we access at Loughborough University.

We maintain a team of dedicated sports technologists with a proven track record of delivering challenging innovation and R&D projects.

Our experience can help identify and develop high value research programs, as well as bring proprietary insights to your product development process.

Working fast, deploying state of the art equipment and know-how, our aim is to create valuable knowledge and proof. We’ll help you interpret findings so that your teams can build these into world-leading products.


ThermoregulationClimate Chambers

Progressive has access to two large climate chambers. Their size enables a wide range of activities/exercises to be undertaken for the purpose of testing.

Temperature range: -30°C to 50°C. Humidity: 10 to 95% (above zero °C)

Air speed controllable 0.1 to 0.5 m/s + additional wind tunnel up to 10 m/s

Altitude simulation by reduced Oxygen levels: 0-7000 metres

Connecting atrium allows for a quick transition between two environments with differing conditions

FLIR Thermal Imaging Cameras

Highly portable thermal imaging cameras can capture the surface temperature of a target point or region.

Can record the surface temperature of the skin or garment. A useful tool in visually assessing thermal response, plus results can be presented in both still frame and video format.

Wireless Temperature/Humidity Loggers

Small and portable data loggers that can be positioned unobtrusively at anyareas of interest across the body, or other surfaces.

Can record the surface temperature of the skin and/or the humidity of the microclimate between the skin and the garment with time intervals from 1 second to 273 hours.

Measurement range of -20°C to 85°C and 0-100% relative humidity


Thermoregulation cont.

Newton Thermal Manikin

Advanced thermal manikin system is perfect for a broad range of clothing and environmental testing.

Can determine the thermal insulation value of a garment.

Can evaluate sweat wicking properties; over the whole body or a selection of its 32 distinct zones.

Power input to the manikin and skin temperature can be reported which, along with the known environmental temperature, can be used to calculate thermal insulation (ISO 15831:2004):

Sweat wicking properties of a garment can be assessed by calculating the energy input required to maintain manikin skin temperature following evaporation to the atmosphere.

Previous Work Example: Umbro – England Football World Cup 2006 and 2010 Jerseys

Progressive devised a wearer trial to examine the thermal, perceptual and structural response of Umbro’s England jersey for the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cups.

Investigated baselayer interaction, thermophysiological response, moisture retention properties and human thermal perception.


Athlete-Product Interaction

Surface Strain Mapping

Progressive are currently utilising this optical-based strain mapping system to investigate the comfort and performance of compression wear, footwear, sports bras, etc.

Useful anywhere that the deformation of the product in use, or the human body, ought to be understood.

3D Motion Capture Systems and Force Plates

Range of joint movement, biomechanics and kinematics may be recorded using a number of 3D motion capture systems, with both passive and active marker sets.

High-precision piezoelectric force plates are versatile in their use, enabling high resolution and reliability when recording ground reaction forces, with a large measuring range and large natural frequency.

6 Degrees of Freedom Robot

Large, fully programmable industrial robot traditionally seen on automated automotive and electronics machining lines.

Highly repeatable over thousands of cycles, using bespoke end-effectors, it has previously been programmed to emulate aspects of the human foot strike during running, as well as motion of the torso for the testing of sports bras.


Pressure Mapping

X-Sensor

Fabric pressure sensors which are conformable and durable – ideal for a range of research and product testing environments.

Highly accurate sensors offering high resolution, allows the understanding of subtle pressure differences.

Tekscan F-Scan System

Ultra-thin, in-shoe sensors to capture timing and pressure info. for foot function and gait analysis.

Have also been utilised for alternative applications where timing and pressure data is required.

Kikuhime Sub-Bandage Pressure Monitor

A pneumatic point pressure measurement tool, housed in a frictionless sleeve that enables the pressure applied by a garment to the skin/body to be recorded.

Previous Work Example: Dynamic Pressure Mapping between Sports Bra and Skin

Progressive have developed novel insights based on findings from capturing ‘in-bra’ pressure during treadmill running.

Image (left) shows peak pressure areas at the front of the underband (against the 5th and 6th rib), the underwire/cup and folding in the wing material.

Pressure ‘hot-spots’ were also found as the strap crossed the clavicle (collar bone) - can be related to a new strap design that accounts for the form of the clavicle and reduces peak pressures and chafing.


Quick CasesToo many tools and techniques to list…

Testing and Validation

Qualitative and quantitative investigations

Comfort

Thermal

Moisture

Biomechanical

Bio-vital measures

Sensor accuracy

GPS

Multiple properties of materials

Calorimetry

Photospectrometry

High-speed video

3D optical analysis (digital image correlation)

Bespoke experimental rigs

Innovation

Research and scientific scoping

Ideation

Prototyping

Proof of principle testing

Development and trouble shooting

Manufacture/brand co-operation and hand-over

Marketing launch support


Quick CasesSome of the facilities we often utilise in our work…

Sports Technology Institute laboratories

Ball firing robots

Fabric and materials test suite

Real-time 3D optical analysis

3D biomechanical capture

Full biomedical monitoring

Force plate systems

Accelerometry

6 DoF industrial robotics

X-Sensor pressure mapping

High-speed colour cameras

Rapid engineering workshop and foundry

Dual climate chambers

FLIR infrared thermal camera

Body worn and core temperature sensors

Spectrometry

Newton thermal manikin

Laser scanning microscope

Wind tunnel

Scanning calorimeter

Olympic-sized swimming pool

Indoor/outdoor athletics stadium

Artificial and natural grass pitches

State of the art physical conditioning centre


Clients

Some of our core and repeat clients include:


What We Can Do for YouCreating value with proprietary knowledge and insight

The most important step we can take with you is to start our conversation.

Once we are able to better understand your requirements, Progressive can assess where significant value can be added to your highly skilled teams and network.

Contact Information

Dr Bryan Roberts – Head of Consultancy

Progressive Sports Technologies Ltd.Sports Technology Institute1 Oakwood DriveLoughboroughLE11 3QFUnited Kingdom

Phone: +44 (0)1509 564806

Mail: [email protected]

Web: www.progressivesports.co.uk

Documents

Progressive Sports Technologies 2016