Alpine Skiing Robot Using a Passive Turn with Variable Mechanism

Takuma Saga,Norihiko Saga

doi:10.3390/app8122643

Abstract

Recently, the number of alpine ski junior players in Japan has drastically decreased. The causes include a decrease in ski areas and instructors, along with difficulty of early childhood alpine ski guidance. The alpine ski competition is not simply a glide on a slope. It requires understanding of ski deflection and skier posture mechanics. Therefore, a passive ski robot without an actuator was developed for junior racers of the alpine ski competition to facilitate understanding of the turn mechanism. Using this robot can elucidate factors affecting ski turns, such as the position of the center of gravity (COG) and the ski shape. Furthermore, a mechanism for changing the COG height, the edge angle and the ski deflection is added to the passive turn type ski robot. The developed ski robot can freely control the turn by changing those parameters during sliding.

Highlights

Since the establishment of sports engineering as a research field, the role of engineering in sports has grown
The turn mechanism can be elucidated from various viewpoints such as skier motion analysis, dynamic model simulation and experimentation using robots [3]
Results show that the trajectory of the turn thereafter changes when the center of gravity (COG) position is lowered from a high state to a low state

Summary

Introduction

Since the establishment of sports engineering as a research field, the role of engineering in sports has grown. By considering physical properties such as mechanical properties, sports equipment might be designed and developed to, to improve the performance of all athletes or a single athlete [1,2]. The turn mechanism can be elucidated from various viewpoints such as skier motion analysis, dynamic model simulation and experimentation using robots [3]. Difficulties of coupling with skis and difficulties of biological loads are addressed using multiple CCD cameras and force sensors. The effects of various elements such as mechanical properties of the ski and snow surface on the turn can be examined [4,5,6,7]

Methods

Results

Conclusion