It took a lot of high-tech research for Lance Armstrong to win the Tour de France seven times in a row. His team used wind tunnels, computer modeling, cutting-edge bike frame materials, and the latest in high-tech clothing to help him succeed.
Technology and research are also a big part of the dairy herd at OSU. They may not look like lean, mean farm machines but Assistant Professor Aurora Villarroel considers these milk-producers high-performance athletes. She and Ben Krahn, Director of the Dairy Research Center, have set up a state-of-the-art dairy operation which uses the latest technology to keep the cows healthy and productive. The center also uses an automated system to collect detailed information about the cow’s daily lives. The information is stored in a massive database that can be used for research.
Wired magazine recently featured a photo essay on the OSU Dairy Research Center.