The Ascent Reimagined
Human-Powered Backcountry Access for Sit-Ski Athletes
M. Röer (TU Delft - Industrial Design Engineering)
A.J. Jansen – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Industrial Design Engineering)
A.H. Valkenhoff – Mentor (TU Delft - Industrial Design Engineering)
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Abstract
This thesis presents a MSc Integrated Product Design graduation project conducted at the Delft technical university of Technology. This project was self initiated and completed without a client, out of a curiosity if it would be possible for a sitskier to climb a mountain.
Skitouring allow athletes to ascend in remote mountain terrain through their own physical effort. However, physically challenged athletes using a sit-ski are currently limited in their ability to access these environments independently. Existing sitski equipment is mainly developed for downhill performance and does not enable athletes with lower-body impairments to ascend snow-covered mountain terrain using upper-body power over longer distances. As a result, sitski athletes are restricted to lift-accessed terrain or dependent on others to pull them uphill.
This graduation project investigates how a sit-ski touring setup can support autonomous participation of physically challenged athletes with lower-body impairments in mountain adventures. Through a User-Centred Design approach user needs, context of use, biomechanics were explored and translated into design opportunities. Interviews with athletes, manufacturers and adaptive outdoor sport pioneers revealed a clear need for equipment that enables sit-ski athletes to become more independent in the backcountry.
Iterative concept creation and development led to Capra Ibex: a retrofittable sitski touring concept based on a rowing-like pulling motion. It introduces a new approach to human-powered propulsion on snow, where the upper-body is used to generate the required power from a seating position. The proposed design demonstrates how a sitski can evolve towards the becoming the foundation for physically challenged athletes to venture out into nature and experience mountain adventures. Capra Ibex enables physically challenged athletes with lower body impairments to become the engine of their own backcountry adventures.