Bend it like Beckham? Science explains how.

12 February 2008

England might have an Italian football manager but one Englishman is off to the Italian capital to tell them how technology is helping develop the beautiful game.

Professor Steve Haake of Sheffield Hallam University and also Technical Director of SportsPulse has been invited to highlight how technology can be used to develop sports equipment, including footballs, and athletes to leading lights in Italian engineering on the home turf of the reigning football world champions. Steve and his team gained international fame for analysing how David Beckham’s free kicks bend and the physics behind it.

The presentation at the Rome Institute of Engineering next Wednesday (February 13) will be the opening lecture in the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) European Lecture Tour which finishes in London on 15 July. The IET and Sheffield Hallam have created a unique European lecture tour to showcase some of the UK’s world leading research into sports equipment and technology.

This lecture is part of the IET’s ‘Prestige’ series which is run throughout the year in the UK and now, for the first time, across Europe. The IET European Executive, said, “We feel we have created a unique series of lectures which will bring the science of engineering alive and reference it to everyday life. Understanding the link between scientific research and a football kick is sometimes not that obvious!”

Professor Haake explained, “The use of science and technology is a relatively recent addition to the world of sport. Lots of money and effort is spent on developing sport and athletes to make sure that they perform at the highest level. With it being an Olympic year and the UEFA European Championships this summer, it’s a perfect opportunity to talk about the relationship between science and sport.”

“I’ll be highlighting how our work has helped to support top athletes and sports and give an understanding of the fundamental mechanics of an athlete’s interaction with sports equipment. Sheffield is one of the pioneering centres in our field. It is a great opportunity to showcase what we can do on an international stage,” he added.

Media contacts:

UK:

Italy:
Matteo Sommaruga

Tel: +39 338 729467
Email: sommarug@theiet.org