Optics students at City and Islington College in London have teamed up with their counterparts at Beijing Business (Shang Ye) Vocational College to provide optical appliances for athletes competing in the next two Olympic Games.
The two colleges based in the cities hosting the next two Olympic Games are working to develop optical aids to enhance the performance of athletes who need eyewear for vision correction, protection or both.
Optics students at the London-based college are developing specialist eyewear for Matthew Twisleton, a lieutenant in the Royal Navy, who will participate in one of the most hazardous adventures ever undertaken in a kayak.
Later this month, he will be part of a team of eight who will attempt to circumnavigate James Ross Island in the treacherous seas of the South Atlantic. If they succeed they will be first to complete the 120-nautical mile task in temperatures as low as -30°C.
Sharon Alfred, of City and Islington explained the challenges faced in developing specialist sports eyewear to correct myopia. 'Because of the extreme cold we were unable to use metal frames and chose frames in patented SPX plastic instead. The wraparound sides are interchangeable with a strap to keep them in place in tough conditions,' she said.
'The strap has to be made of a material that does not hold water as it would freeze and cause a lot of discomfort. It will also contain a flotation aid so if it does fall in the water, it may be retrievable.'
Other students will develop eyewear for athletes competing in sailing, archery, hockey, cycling, water polo and badminton, while students in Beijing are focusing on developing optical aids for the Chinese national cycling team.
The project was initiated when Islington's principal Frank McLoughlin visited Beijing in 2005 as part of the London Beijing World City Links project to develop education exchanges.