Ski tips pointed straight down the fall line, daredevil children can be found careening down local slopes throughout the winter season, to the distress of concerned parents. But now, thanks to "electric wax" technology designed by a Thayer School of Engineering professor, parents will soon be able to harness their youngsters' speeds without destroying ambitions to be future World Cup champions.
Electric wax, which uses short pulses of electricity to control sticky or slippery snow and ice, is meant to serve as a "safety and comfort tool in downhill skiing," according its designer, Thayer Professor Victor Petrenko.
By applying a thin coating along the base of skis that carries electricity, snow and ice can be frozen or melted instantaneously. The freeze-thaw process, which happens within three-thousandths of a second, produces a strong bond between the ski base and the snow, which leads to more friction. The increased friction provides extra grip, allowing alpine skiers and snowboarders to control their speed.
While the extra traction for alpine skiers is intended to increase comfort by controlling speed, Thayer Professor John Chen, the business development director of the project, emphasized the technology's appeal to both novice and expert skiers.
"Think about skiing something steep or in between a lot of trees and having the skies go a little slower. In skiing, it's all about having fun and having a challenge but not getting hurt or frustrated. I think this technology can help people do that," said Chen.
The extra traction also supplies Nordic skiers with a more powerful kick -- the momentum providing push-off -- and eliminates the need for kick wax, fish scales, and climbing skins.
"Just as in the way conventional wax is used to help a ski glide faster or have better grip and traction on snow, our electronic technique can do the same only faster, better and easier," said Chen.
Skiers will be able to control the amount of electricity supplied to the ski bases with a remote control installed in the ski poles or with verbal commands.
"[Electric wax] would provide you with the same precision you have now in your car cruise control," Petrenko said.
While a slight increase in cost can be expected for skis equipped with the technology, the expense is offset by eliminating the need to wax skis Chen said.
"When compared with the cost of buying wax, or having a ski shop apply it, time spent in waxing and then removing it and having to do it so many times during a season, the overall cost might actually be lower not to mention the added convenience," explained Chen.
Already catching the attention of ski manufacturers, Nordic skis equipped with electric wax will be mass-manufactured in time for the 2005-06 ski season. The alpine version of the technology is currently under development.
Emily Chenel '04, a member of the Nordic ski team, said she liked the fact that electric wax would eliminate the need to change wax based upon weather conditions.
"If one thing could work in all scenarios, it would really simplify the whole waxing process," Chenel said.
Not limited to the skiing world, electric wax technology has many winter applications. It can be used to de-ice airplane wings, power lines, and building structures. Anti-slip shoes and snow tires are also being created with the technology.
"The airplane is already flying. Mass manufacturing of aerospace deicers will start from one-and-a-half to three years from now," Petrenko said.
Deicers for power lines using the new technology can be expected within the next year or two, Petrenko said.
While the technology for deicing car windshields could be ready in as soon as six months, it is in the hands of Torvec/ISDI. Petrenko was unable to say how long it will take the company to commercialize it.
"The largest application will be in the significant increase of car-tire friction on ice and snow. But that will take much more research and development," said Petrenko, who became interested in researching electronic friction control after a car accident many years ago.
He first began to develop it in November 2001 when he was researching Ice Interface Control Technology.
Chenel, though, citing the value of technology for backcountry skiing, was concerned about the timing of the kick and glide for Nordic racing. She noted that if the bond did not form at precisely the right time, it would interfere with a skier's rhythm and "throw everything off."
"I would try it, but I'd be hesitant to use it in a competitive situation where speed was critical," Chenel said.
