Variohm helps iceboard development programme
A
Variohm Eurosensor product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Nov 3, 2008
Variohm Eurosensor is helping Hiberna Iceboards with its product development programme to evaluate and design 80kph speed-capable iceboards using dual axis tilt and compass sensors from AOSI.
Iceboards use a specially adapted deck with front and rear pairs of stainless steel blades and a semi-rigid steering mechanism that translates the tilt forces induced in the deck from the surfers body into direction and turning movements.
Traditional wheeled skateboard decks, although similar in design, can't produce the turning sensitivity, precision or stability that is required for this sport.
Hiberna deck designs are based on a combination of laboratory tests and thrilling 'field-based' research.
Hiberna use the AOSI EZ Compass 3A with separate roll and pitch sensors to determine the performance-critical correlation between deck tilt and steering bridge rotation, using design concepts and a range of materials on a custom-built evaluation rig.
This can involve a very complex set of measurements as boards must have a varying sensitivity in different deck positions to suit the particular needs of slalom or speed iceboarding.
As there is no precedent for this research, Hiberna had to design its own C++ program to record, store and display comparative graphs for all the non-linear measurement data.
The program also handles rig and sensor calibration.
The EZ Compass 3A is also used on a 3D model as part of an animated software simulator for iceboard performance training.
For the deck tilt angle input, a roll sensor is attached directly to the deck.
Bridge rotation is determined either from the compass angle input located on the deck, or the pitch sensor attached to a vertical mast using a simple trigonometric formula to calculate the angle.
Hiberna's research team find the pitch/roll sensor readings more precise as the compass can sometimes be influenced by metallic materials used on the board and test rig.
The EZ Compass 3A is a semiconductor device with temperature compensated pitch, roll and compass outputs used for precision orientation and levelling applications in navigation, research, construction industries, entertainment simulators and many other fields.
The unit outputs continuous heading, magnetic field, dual axis tilt and temperature data over RS-232, RS-422 and optional RS-485 interfaces.
It also features an NMEA-0183 mode for straightforward integration with echo sounders, sonar and autopilot equipment.
The EZ Compass 3A is part of a wide range of inclinometers and tilt sensors available from Variohm.
Not what you're looking for? Search the site.
Contact Variohm Eurosensor
Tel +44 1327 351004
Other Variohm Eurosensor stories
-
Variohm unveils membrane potentiometer range
Variohm Eurosensor has introduced the Spectra Symbol Membrane potentiometer range. -
Rotary position sensor suits harsh environments
Variohm Eurosensor has launched a rotary position sensor for price-sensitive industrial and automotive applications in harsh and extended-temperature-range environments. -
Non-contact angle sensors open up new applications
Whether for axial offsets, excessive torque or the need for transmissive measurements, conventional angle sensors - despite a refined state of development - are not suitable for all applications. -
Lion Alcolmeter 500 measures breath alcohol levels
The Lion Alcolmeter 500, available from Variohm Eurosensor, is a breath alcohol measuring instrument designed for field use by public services and other authorities for fast subject screening. -
GUI software programs Vert-X angle sensors
Variohm Eurosensor has launched a software application for communication and programming of Contelec Vert-X series contactless and non-contact angle sensors.
Browse by category
-
Capital Equipment (3,523)
- Capital Equipment (1)
- Compressors and Air Treatment (540)
- Electrical hardware (131)
- Electronics Manufacturing, Tools, Instruments (192)
- Machinery and Production Equipment (1,133)
- Manufacturing Machinery and Plant Equipment (477)
- Production line blowers and fans (74)
- Robotics, Handling and Storage (975)
- Consultancy and Services (924)
-
Control and Instrumentation (5,128)
- Cabling, Conduit, Signal Conditioning (817)
- CNC and Motion Controllers (190)
- Control and Instrumentation (3)
- HMIs/Operator Interfaces (296)
- Logic Controllers, Timers and Relays (96)
- Mid-range and Large PLCs (203)
- Plant- and Machine-Wide Communications (1,203)
- Plantwide control (1,353)
- Power Supplies, Uninterruptible Power (575)
- Smaller-Sized PLCs (392)
-
Drives, Motors and Controls (3,438)
- Drives, Motors and Controls (2)
- Industrial Drives/Controls (1,290)
- Industrial Motors (502)
- Linear Drives and Motors (121)
- Precision Motors and Gears (430)
- Stepper and Servo Drives, Motors, Controls (1,091)
-
Electrical and Electronic Equipment Design (4,307)
- Batteries, chargers and circuit protection (583)
- Connectors, Terminals, Busbars, Slip Rings (717)
- Electrical and Electronic Components (649)
- Electrical and Electronic Equipment Design (3)
- Electrical and Electronic Subassemblies (375)
- Enclosures and Equipment Cooling Fans (722)
- Knobs, Handles and Enclosure Hardware (430)
- PCs and Embedded Systems (828)
-
Engineering Design Software (6,369)
- 2D CAD software (203)
- 3D CAD software (1,194)
- CAM, CNC, production management software (583)
- Data, document management software (322)
- Electrical design software (167)
- Engineering Design Software (17)
- FEA and structural analysis software (377)
- File conversion software, data capture (358)
- Fluid, thermal, noise, vibration software (339)
- Materials design and moulding design software (152)
- Maths, charting, statistics, QA software (325)
- PLM and collaboration software (664)
- Process, instrumentation, automation software (269)
- Publishing and documentation software (234)
- Rendering, visualisation, styling software (207)
- Simulation, modelling, validation software (958)
-
Engineering Industry News, Resources (6,212)
- Electronic Resources for Engineers (278)
- Engineering Business News, Views (388)
- Engineering Conferences (438)
- Engineering Education, Resources, Standards (850)
- Engineering Exhibitions, Events (577)
- Engineering Guides, Newsletters (366)
- Engineering Industry Developments, Awards (636)
- Engineering Industry News, Resources (4)
- Engineering Industry Reports, Surveys (597)
- Engineering Recruitment, Employment (219)
- Engineering Seminars (418)
- Engineering Training Courses (458)
- Health and Safety Consultancy, Software (180)
- Health and Safety Events, Training, News (285)
- Health and Safety Legislation (403)
- Health and Safety Strategy, Risk Assessment (115)
- Machine Building (4,622)
-
Materials and Processing (3,035)
- Materials and components (2,267)
- Materials and Processing (5)
- Materials processing and testing (292)
- Rapid Prototyping (471)
-
Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (5,655)
- Data Acquisition Hardware and PC I/O Boards (490)
- Data acquisition Software and Communications (505)
- Data loggers (427)
- Electrical and Electronic Testing, PAT Equipment (643)
- Form/co-ordinate, optical, vision instruments (762)
- Gauges, Indicators and Instruments (449)
- Materials testing equipment (431)
- Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (1)
- Telecomms/network test equipment, software etc (158)
- Testing and Calibration Services and Information (520)
- Testing, analysing and monitoring equipment (1,269)
-
Powertrain Design (3,713)
- Bearings (984)
- Chains and belts (333)
- Gears, brakes, couplings and engines (1,476)
- Hydraulic Components (475)
- Lubricants (441)
- Powertrain Design (3)
-
Sensors (7,289)
- Accelerometers and Vibration Sensors (449)
- Barcode Sensors (103)
- Flowmeters and Flow Sensors (644)
- Gas, Chemical, Radiation, Magnetic Sensors (290)
- Humidity and Environmental Sensors (158)
- Level Sensors and Leak Detectors (538)
- Linear Position Sensors (415)
- Loadcells, Force Sensors, Torque Sensors (730)
- Pressure sensors (640)
- Proximity Sensors (715)
- Rotary Position, Tilt and Angular Sensors (563)
- Sensors (11)
- Temperature sensors (622)
- Vision and Colour Sensors (1,411)
- Small Mechanical Components, Joining, Tools (2,047)
- Valves, Pumps, Process Hardware (3,726)
