IDE researchers play a part in Olympic success

If you tuned in to the winter Olympics, you may have seen skeleton racer Kimberley Bos speed down the track to win a bronze medal. It was a momentous occasion for the Netherlands, as it was the first time the country had won a medal in the event, and for TU Delft, whose researchers played a role in optimising her equipment.

The project was led by Wouter Terra, a scientist at NOC*NSF and researcher at the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, and in close collaboration with IDE Assistant Professor Toon Huysmans and researcher Laura Ahsmann. To help Wouter make Kimberley’s gear more aerodynamic, Toon and Laura created a digital mannequin of the Olympian, in her racing pose, using a high-resolution 3D scanner and processing techniques. Wouter was then able to use this mannequin to obtain valuable wind tunnel measurements. For the rest of the story, keep reading.