Surfboard gets onboard computer to study its shape change when people ride it
Four mechanical engineering undergraduates at the University of California, San Diego have installed a surfboard with a computer to understand the science of surfboards. The surfboard outfitted with a computer and eight connected sensors records the speed of the waves underneath the moving board. This water velocity information is then wirelessly transferred in real time to the laptop on the shore, where the optimal flexibility of the surfboard, something that makes surfing enjoyable, is figured.
The computer stuck on board the skateboard is placed inside a waterproof case. This microcontroller is connected to 8 bend sensors on the underneath of the board, which bend with respect to the speed of the water under the surfboard. With this the engineers wish to understand the Surfboard flex – a temporary shape changes that surfboards are thought to undergo, further understanding if this flexibility enhances the performance and/or feel of a surfboard in any way.
Via: JacobsSchool
