Tracking Race Times
1964 Seiko launches its new electronic automated timing system with a photo-finish mechanism, improving accuracy to 1/100th of a second.
1980s Transponder or RFID timing is designed using radio frequency via a chip placed on the athlete to record times at antenna points.
2008 Photo finish equipment captures 3,000 photos per second to track winners in races.
Clothing
1950s onwards Lighter and flatter track shoes are designed to find the perfect balance of optimal grip and comfort.
2012 Athletic apparel starts to measure heart rate, respiratory activity, posture, speed and weight distribution.
2016 New clothing is being designed to wick sweat away from the body by evaporation instead of absorbing it.
Neuroscience
2017 The Halo headband was first released to the public. The technology prepares the brains of athletes for training and a big race by delivering pulses that help neurons fire together.
2019 The Halo 2 is released. Putting the headband on 20 minutes before a race can improve the brain’s ability to make new circuits, making athletes perform better and faster.