AsianScientist (Oct. 2, 2014) – Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has set up an international consortium to develop innovative materials and process for sports products.
Together with NTU’s Institute for Sports Research (ISR), the French companies Arkema, Chomarat and Babolat as well as Topkey, a Taiwanese bicycle manufacturer, will comprise the consortium’s founding members.
To be known as the Innovative Composites for Sports Products (I-Comp Sports), the consortium will benefit from ISR’s research and testing facilities housed at NTU’s School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
NTU plans to invest more than US$2 million in specialized machinery for the consortium, which will jointly develop new carbon composites materials, parts design as well as manufacturing technology for sports products such as rackets and bicycle frames.
NTU Provost Professor Freddy Boey said I-Comp Sports will drive composite materials research, in line with the university’s ambitions in sports technology research and innovation.
“”Such application-driven research will contribute to the growing local sports scene and help create a new business sector for Singapore,” said Prof. Boey.
The joint research in composites will benefit not only the sports product industry, but also industries such as aerospace, renewable energy, and materials engineering.
Since its founding in 2011, ISR has secured over S$5.5 million in research funding and generated revenue of over S$1 million. The institute is funded by Singapore’s Economic Development Board and NTU, and currently has more than 20 research and development projects completed or ongoing with its sports industry partners.
ISR’s first product, a range of dynamic compression garments for cross country skiing, was developed together with Skis Rossignol, a French manufacturer of skiing equipment, and made its debut at the Sochi Winter Olympics 2014.
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Source: Nanyang Technological University; Photo: Håkan Dahlström/Flickr/CC.
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