Hang Ten: Surfboards Equipped with GPS Tracking
28 Jun 2016Researchers use GPS tracking devices to test new 3D-printed surfboard fins.
3D technology has been taking over a lot of industries in recent years, and it is now lending assistance to surfers. Brand new surfboard fins have already been in production by using 3D printers. These fins can have better materials, shapes, and sizes than what traditional manufacturing processes can provide the surfers. However, it wasn’t known if these new 3D-printed surfboards were as effective as traditionally-built fins. That is, until GPS tracking technology splashed into the picture.
GPS trackers are being embedded into these surfboards to capture data from the waves, including turns, air, speed, and wave counts. This data will then be compared to the data from the 3D fins to those of the same surfer’s previous world circuit tour to figure out if they are up to par. The printers for these fins came from the Australian National Fabrication Facility.
The goal is to try them out on some individual surfers, with the help of researchers from the University of Wollongong in New South Wales. These fins are being individually-customized for the surfers, according to Professor Marc in het Panhuis. He told reporters:
“We want to come up with new, more efficient fins that can bespokely designed for a particular surfer and a particular wave.”
This isn’t the first time 3D printing has helped with the surfing industry, as past designs have used the technology for the fins and the boards. In fact, there was a 48-piece surfboard made from different 3D-printed components in New Zealand last year. However, this will be the first time their efficiency is tested with GPS technology.
All of the fins that were printed with the 3D technology are being tracked with GPS trackers, in a study being performed with the help of Professor Marc from the UOW’s Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health. So far, the research team has used GPS technology to track over 1,100 turns and 1,400 waves with the 3D fins.
They are able to look at what parts of the fin are functioning well, and where they might need improvement. They are already speaking to Australian surfboard manufacturers about the fins and how they are performing. They are hoping to get more involved in the surfing community in Australia to entice more manufacturers to print their fins using the 3D technology.
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