Modelling Momentum on Half-Pipes
The analysis was published in American Physical Society Journal. The strategy of “pumping,” or alternating between crouching and standing, is crucial for constructing velocity on half-pipes. Kogelbauer’s crew created a mannequin to point out how the physique’s centre of mass impacts motion on a ramp, very like the mechanics of a swing. In their calculations, they discovered that crouching whereas shifting downhill and standing whereas shifting uphill helps skaters acquire top extra successfully. This rhythm, the crew suggests, may assist skaters attain larger elevations on the ramp in fewer motions.
Testing the Theory with Real Skaters
To take a look at the mannequin’s validity, researchers noticed two skate boarders as they navigated a half-pipe. They had been requested to succeed in a particular top as rapidly as potential. Video evaluation revealed that the extra skilled skater naturally adopted the mannequin’s prompt sample, reaching the goal top with fewer motions. The much less skilled skater, who didn’t observe the sample as exactly, required extra time to succeed in the identical top. This distinction means that skilled skaters intuitively apply these rules for higher efficiency.
Broader Applications Beyond Skateboarding
According to Sorina Lupu, an engineer on the California Institute of Technology, this simplified mannequin may additionally have purposes in robotics. By demonstrating how minimal changes in physique place can affect velocity and top, this examine presents insights that would make robotic motion extra environment friendly. For engineers, this analysis signifies that easy fashions of human motion might be used to reinforce robotic efficiency, offering a substitute for complicated machine-learning fashions usually utilized in robotics.
