Air-deflecting shield allows athletes to run like the unimpeded wind

If you want to run faster, it definitely helps if you know what it feels like to run faster. The Airshield was designed with that fact in mind, as it allows runners to train without experiencing any air resistance.

Currently in prototype form, the Airshield is being developed by Prof. Melanie Zeilinger, Dr. Andrea Carron, Prof. Christina Spengler and colleagues at ETH Zurich university in Switzerland. It was created for use in an existing technique known as "overspeed training."

Putting it simply, overspeed training involves utilizing artificial means to allow an athlete to run faster than they are currently able to unaided. Doing so helps their body to learn the neuromuscular sequences required to run at that speed. The idea is that the athlete will subsequently be able to recreate those sequences – and that level of performance – without any outside help.

That's where the Airshield comes in.

The air-deflecting shield itself is a wedge-shaped open-backed cart, the front and sides of which are covered in sheets of transparent plastic. That cart is towed behind an electric go-kart, which is steered along a running track by a human driver.

As the athlete runs directly behind the shield, a rear-facing LiDAR sensor inside the shield continuously measures how far away the runner is from it. That data is wirelessly transmitted to the go-kart, which automatically speeds up or slows down in order to keep that person in the "sweet spot" – all that the driver has to do is steer.

The shield is additionally equipped with multiple video cameras, which shoot footage of the athlete that can later be assessed by them and their coach.

There's currently no word on when the Airshield may enter regular use. For now, you can see it in action in the video below.

Source: ETH Zurich