The British Midlands Development Corporation today announced that a team of researchers from Midlands based University of Nottingham have developed a highly specialised computer modelling technique that has been instrumental in the design of a revolutionary new swimsuit now being hailed as the fastest in the world.

    Dr. Herve Morvan, a lecturer in fluid mechanics in the School of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, is working as an advisor to the AQUALAB, Speedo's competition research and development department, responsible for the development of Speedo's new LZR Racer swimsuit.

    Within a week of its launch, athletes wearing the new swimsuit had broken three world records.

    Speedo harnessed the expertise of NASA and a number of international research institutes and industrial partners such as ANSYS, one of the world's leading engineering simulation software providers, to create the new suit.

    The team at Nottingham specializes in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), the computer modelling of fluid flow. The technique is rapidly developing in its technology and applications and can cut design times, increase productivity and give significant insight to fluid flows.

    Speedo AQUALAB scanned over 400 athletes and obtained the scan for a series of top athletes. Using CFD analysis Dr. Morvan and his team were able to identify areas of high friction on the athlete's body. With this information designers were able to position low friction fabric, developed by Speedo, in the right locations.

    Dr. Morvan, a lecturer in fluid mechanics, said: "CFD enabled us to use the compressive property of the suit to shape the body as ideally as possible, taking into account the physiological and bio-mechanical requirements of the athlete."

    The new suit has 5 percent less drag than Speedo's 2007 suit, the FS Pro, which saw swimmers break 21 world records.

    Analysis by Dr. Morvan and his team at The University of Nottingham was carried out in collaboration with flume work at the University of Otago, in New Zealand and fabric tests by NASA.

    Dr. Morvan who is now working with Speedo towards the 2012 Olympics in London said: "We are now building up toward active drag which accounts for the athlete motion and its interaction with the free surface. This should further validate the suit design as we move to the 2012 Olympics."

    "The East Midlands employs over 85,000 people in 2,300 clothing & textile companies," said Vern Sebby, President and CEO of British Midlands Development Corporation, "It is the largest clothing and textiles region in the UK and Europe."

    About British Midlands Development Corporation

    The British Midlands Development Corporation is the North American economic development agency for central England. The Midlands region is located just one hour to the north of London and includes the major commercial centers of Birmingham, Nottingham, Coventry and Northampton.

    As an agency funded by the UK Government, The British Midlands Development Corporation provides specialist advice and support to North American companies seeking to establish a presence or expand a current operation in the region. The British Midlands Development Corporation provides access to business networks, details about sources for grants and funding, business support services, and information to help companies identify opportunities to develop and grow.

    The British Midlands Development Corporation is based in Chicago with branch offices in Boston, Washington, DC and San Jose

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