Eagle Sensors - Real-time Sensors Networks on Paragliders
One of my biggest hobbies, paragliding, gave me an idea how it could be possible measuring paraglider's wing behavior in real-time. With this recorded data it would be possible to develop safer wings and get more details of behavior in certain conditions. One big problem of paragliders is the collapse or stall, because there is no fixed wing. Most of all fatal accidents are caused by a (asymmetric) collapse as the main trigger in the accident chain. So we want to do a research on wing-behavior in detail while flying and trying to give manufactures better data, which helps to become safer and/or faster.
You can read three articles here, which explain the idea and concept.
Articles:
Mics Article / English | Swiss Glider / German, French | ETHLife Article / German  |
Some project pictures of the 1st prototype development...
 Cables and vibrations soldering... |  Vibragloves |
 1st Prototype almost finished |  1st SensorNodes |
 1st Prototype with Vibra Gloves / in collaboration with Lucern University |  LCD Touch display test |
 Variometer-watch prototype (little side project) |  Wiring of Variometer-watch |
 Christoph Wartmann test flying. Launch: Titlis 3040m |  And another shot of the eagle wing application |
 Installing sensor nodes onto paraglider. |  Getting ready to fly with the vibragloves. |
 Final setup |  Just thirty minutes after photo 7. Me test flying in beautiful conditions. |
Some project pictures of the 2nd prototype...
 Solar chargeable wireless sensor nodes There are eight of them installed. |  Logging just on a mini SD-card: GPS Coordinates, |
 Test mounting at the Advance Paragliders AG Manufactur in Thun. |  Test mounting at the Advance Paragliders AG Manufactur in Thun. |
 Test flying in Euthal with a friend. |  Me soaring and gaining some height in Euthal |
more to come... feel free to mail me your comments: wartmann{at}arch.ethz.ch
by Christoph Wartmann
Assistant: Etienne Ribeiro