Dynamic Athletics Research Institute (DARI) of Lenexa, Kan., teamed with Under Armour and Lockheed Martin to develop the high-tech suit being worn by U.S. speed skaters at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.

DARI used its groundbreaking expertise in 3D motion capture technology to compute the exact, full-body kinetics needed to create the Mach 39 American Speedskating Skin.

“Working with these two industry leaders was an amazing experience for our company,” said Patrick Moodie, co-founder and president of DARI. “Each company has a specific expertise. Lockheed Martin specializes in aerodynamics. Under Armour specializes in fabrics. And DARI specializes in biomechanics.”

The collaborative process began in early 2012, when Moodie and Derek Wassom, biomechanical engineer at DARI, met with engineers from Under Armour and Lockheed Martin at the Utah Olympic Oval in Salt Lake City. DARI was tasked with determining the best possible body position for skaters that would lead to an aerodynamic model used for the research and development of the skin.

“Specifically, DARI has the ability to capture all of the biomechanical data produced by the speed skater and catalog that data,” Moodie said. “From that point on, the data becomes the backbone for the development in both aerodynamics and fabric technology. We believe that core data is the key to unlocking new advancements in performance.”

DARI had previously worked with Under Armour, including testing athletes at the NFL Combine, and the clothing company knew about DARI’s ability to provide biomechanical data.

“We are proud to have had the opportunity to contribute to the efforts of the U.S. Olympic team and are looking forward to following their performance in Sochi,” Wassom said.