Tag: BMW

The Painted Edge

BobsledMuch is being made about the technology that is helping the U.S. Bobsled & Skeleton Federation at this year’s Winter Olympic Games in Sochi Russia. The BMW designed sleds have also gotten a boost from the paint!

The national teams are using AERAO Advanced Paint Technology, a film-based paint currently in use on high-performance professional racecars and commercial jetliners, and it is being employed on all team competition vehicles – including the two-man bobsleds.

AERO is a disruptive, green technology paint applique system, created and applied without solvents or sprayers, eliminating the fumes and environmental impact of harsh chemicals.

“In our sport, every hundredth of a second counts,” said USBSF CEO Darrin Steele. “We went with AERO paint because it is lighter and more durable than other materials we’ve used. This allows us to shave fractions of a second over the mile-long course and provide a competitive advantage to our teams.”

AERAO Official Website
U.S. Bobsled & Skeleton Federation Official Website

BMW Bobsled Ready to Run

Last November we heard that German automaker BMW was developing a bobsled through its BMW DesignworksUSA branch, and this week the first photos were released. Apparently two prototypes have been built and while the first one race, this was reportedly to test the aerodynamics. The second prototype has just started racing.

It won’t be used in next year’s 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games, but the prototype will help the Designworks team make tweaks to build a production sled. And there seems to be room for improvement. Continue reading BMW Bobsled Ready to Run

BMW’s Cool Runnings

While the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games won’t be another 15 months the US Bobsled Team can look forward to making their cool runnings in luxury style as they’ll be using BMW-made sleds. While there was much of an uproar about where some Olympic equipment used by the U.S. team at the recent summer games was made, in this case the BMW DesignworksUSA group is responsible for creating the bobsled.

In fact the USA Bobsled & Skeleton Federation called in BMW since the Americans haven’t won a gold medal in the sport since 1936, when the team won in the two-man event. Ironically that was when the games were held in the German town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen , located in Bavaria – the home of BMW no less! Perhaps the USBSF sees the irony as well.

No actual bobsled has been demonstrated yet, but reportedly the prototype features “lightweight materials, optimized aerodynamic and chassis dynamics to leverage the energy output of the two-man team, increasing overall sport performance.” Press release after the jump

Weekend Reading List (8.4.2012): Olympic Recap – Social Media, MTB Course Goes Public, BMW Brings Tech, Athletes Tank

Anti-Social Media at Olympics

From SportsTechie: Social Media Ban During the ‘Socialympics’?
Social media is a large part of London 2012, but if you’re a spectator make sure you don’t post your pictures or videos on any social media sites. The organizers of the XXX Olympiad have seen fit to ban visitors from posting pictures and video that are taken at events and “exploited” on social media sites. These draconian measures are a bit confusing considering most of the technological measures enacted have been to grant more access, not to restrict it. Continue reading Weekend Reading List (8.4.2012): Olympic Recap – Social Media, MTB Course Goes Public, BMW Brings Tech, Athletes Tank

BMW Motion Tracking Helping Swimmers

When we think of BMW we don’t think of the Olympics and we certainly don’t think about swimming – in fact the only time we even think of German cars and water is that scene in Risky Business where Tom Cruise goes deep with the Porsche.

But now BMW, which has in the past aided long jumpers, is getting all wet helping USA Swimming prepare for the Olympics. So how is the company involved? According to the press release:

This latest effort will provide quantitative analysis of swimmers’ starts and turns – critical to success in the sport – via a unique motion tracking system. This technology initiative is central to BMW’s comprehensive U.S. Olympic program which endeavors to advance the performance goals of Team USA while bringing communities across the country closer to the excitement of the Olympic Games. Continue reading BMW Motion Tracking Helping Swimmers

BMW Drives Multi-Year Olympic Sponsorship

U.S. Olympic skater Apolo Anton Ohno welcomes new sponsor BMW.

Years ago it was BMW Films. Short pideos of theater-quality storylines that highlighted the auto brand and were fun to watch. Now BMW is putting money behind the United States Olympic Committee.The six-year deal makes BMW the Official Mobility Partner of the United States Olympic Committee and of four National Governing Bodies: USA Bobsled & Skeleton, U.S. Speedskating, USA Swimming and USA Track & Field. This is multi-million dollar agreement isn’t just a monetary commitment. The sponsor will provide the USOC with fundraising opportunities and the four NGB groups will gain access to BMW Group technical expertise. BMW group will use its experts, deep technology base and facilities to help the Olympic and Paralympic Teams improve their training and performance. Teams will get to use the auto manufacturer’s facilities including the wind tunnel to test aerodynamics.

via: MediaPost