| Group |
2014-3 |
Status |
completed |
| Title |
Next-Generation Rollerskis for Realistic Dry-Land Training |
| Supervisor |
Dr. Glenn Cowan |
| Description |
Rollerskis are commonly used by cross-country skiers for off-season training. In order to simulate the grip ability of cross-country skis, rollerskis are frequently outfitted with wheels that roll in only one direction. While this provides a means of forward propulsion, one-way wheels provide unrealistically good "grip". A real cross-country ski requires downward force and an associated weight shift in order to flatten the ski and get grip. Therefore, skiers who train with rollerskis are no longer forced to exhibit good technique, potentially learning bad habits in the off-season and ultimately not skiing as well during the winter.
In this project, students will select a clutch technology to allow wheels to roll forward, but with variable resistance to back-slippage. This back-slippage will be modulated by an appropriately designed control strategy taking as input the force applied by the skier. A potentially sophisticated under-the-boot sensor array combined with a dynamical model for the ski will be designed. The exact control dynamics may be determined based on measurements of the grip-slip-glide behavior of real cross-country skis during the winter season. |
| Student Requirement |
A group with a good range of expertise is sought. Electronics II would be ideal. Familiarity with FPGAs and microcontrollers is necessary, Experience programming,. Interest in control systems. An interest in cross-country skiing is an asset. |
| Tools |
{Software, Hardware, test equipment, etc} |
| Number of Students |
3-5 (number |
| Students |
Joseph Gatto
Namig Huseynov
Justin Nguyen
Carlo Pitruzzello
Philip Soares |
| Comments: |
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