Olympics have always been the ultimate forum for symbols. The combination of intense media coverage and concentration of all of the world's cultures have meant that new symbol ideas are often presented first on these events.

Many thoughtful symbol experts consider the Katsumie Masaru as the father of modern symbol design. His set of symbols for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics showed how the human figure could be reduced to simple forms, yet still show the strength and speed of the athlete. These elements became part of the vernacular for subsequent Olympic designs.  

The Mexico Olympics four years later represented the next step in the evolution. As the best-known designer of these symbols, Lance Wyman initiated the use a consistent bounding box with rounded corners. 

The next giant in symbol design was Otl Aicher. His work for the 1972 Olympics in Munich and 1976 Olympics in Montreal are probably the best know of all international sport symbols. He returned to the human figure as a basis for the symbols. His human shapes, however, were often thinner and more "stick-like" then those used in earlier symbols. An important aspect of Aicher's works, however, is that he created a "vocabulary" for symbols. The athlete's body, arms and legs could only be arranged at 45° angle; they all had a consistent width. Some of his best work was commissioned by Erco.

These are the same concepts that were also used by the Westinghouse Warning Label Manual of 1981 and the FMC Symbol and Sign Manual authored by Al Hughes in 1985.

Two other modern designers are Paul Arthur and Don Meeker. Paul Arthur's work is also breathtaking in scope. One of the most interesting studies concerns the lonely arrow. Started originally for the 1967 Montreal Expo, this arrow has become widely used and has replaced the old "crow's foot" version. Also see his recent work on the dangers of fishing near rising water released from a dam.

Don Meeker's work for the National Park Service represents the current state-of-the-art and the broadest range of current symbols. A consistent style is applied to disparate activities. This common "look" means that the symbols can be used in groups, and reduce clutter.

Interesting new research into symbols legibility is being done by Dr. Dewar and dr. Kline. See Elderly Drivers and the Comprehension of Traffic Signs.