Design of a snowboard simulating exercise device

Abstract

Snowboarding, since its creation, has become one of the most widely practiced winter sports. Unfortunately, most snowboarding enthusiasts are unable to snowboard year round due to geographic and financial limitations. One possible solution to this dilemma is the development of a device that simulates snowboarding. Using a Deterministic Design process developed in MIT's Precision Engineering Research Group, a Snowboarding Exercise Machine is created. This design features a carriage constrained to move back and forth along a curved track. Rotational sensations are created using an angular motion module mounted onto the carriage. The end result of this effort is a proof of concept prototype, which indicates that the output kinematics are desirable. Additional work and sponsorship is required to bring the proof of concept prototype to a commercially available product.