Anyone who has seen Oscar Pistorius running on his carbon fibre
legs has witnessed the power of technology to enhance athletic
performance. The incredible energy captured in his artificial
limbs reinforces how devices that mimic the natural, rotational
spring-like action of hip, knee and ankle joints can increase a
runner's speed – so much so that Pistorius's athleticism is
considered by some as superior to regular runners. Darren
Stefanyshyn of the University of Calgary is exploring how this
advantage can be applied to able-bodied, high-performance
athletes to give them an edge over competitors. He is working to
identify ways to supplement joints using high-tech apparel. He
studies whether elastic or compression garments can be used to
store and return energy, like a joint, to improve running and
sprinting. In partnership with Adidas, Dr. Stefanyshyn's
research team has developed a stiff, elastic band-based garment
worn across the hips that shows measurable improvement to the
performance of sprinters, jumper