A group of researchers at ETH Zurich University in Switzerland have been working on a specially designed shield to help runners improve their running speed. The Airshield—as the device is aptly named—is essentially a box made of plastic that can be pulled in front of a runner as they train. This will help them train without having to worry about wind resistance.
The goal here is to help runners push themselves to new levels of performance. And even after the shield has been removed, the runners will be able to perform at the same level. The shield basically works as an air deflector, removing the wind resistance from the runner completely. It accomplishes this by being towed in front of them by an electric go-kart.
The Airshield is a wedge-shaped and open-backed cart, with transparent sides and front. It uses rear-facing LiDAR sensors to help measure how far away from the shield the runner is, and that information is then transmitted to the go-kart, which automatically speeds up or slows down to keep the person directly within the “sweet spot,” as the researchers call it. All the driver has to do is steer, essentially.
The shield is also equipped with several cameras, allowing the researchers to capture footage of the athletes as they train. This footage can then be reviewed to assess the runner’s performance and help determine where they can improve in future training. It’s very similar to how cars can sometimes ignore the wind resistance when riding behind larger vehicles, though it is intriguing to see it put to use in such a way.
The Airshield is still an ongoing research project, and no word on when or if it will be used for regular training has been shared yet. For now, though, you can at least see the Airshield in action by checking out the video above. It does seem like a really useful tool for runners who are looking to improve their speed, especially if they’re looking to do it in a way that is a bit outside the box.
Previously researchers at ETH Zurich have also looked at how ChatGPT can guess secrets you’d never tell it.