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Peter Bauer on Head Intelligence


Jack M

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I know this is old news, but I just came across this. Sounds cool. Too bad they don't make a <del>real</del>... err, alpine board. ;)

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I've been doing some kind of project on Head Intelligence system when I was on college, and it seems to be rather good for some stuff, but does have some draw backs! As a board gets stiffer the harder you push it, the problem occures when riding bumps or chopped up stuff. The board gets impacts from snow, what makes it stiffen up, and bumps are a place where a board should not be stiff...

just my $0.02

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They mention the tennis racquets, but some skis have had this (or similar) technology for years, right? I'm pretty sure I've seen skis with at least some sort of active electronic damping, if not active electronic stiffening.

k2 had a passive peizo electric system that had led lights like 10 years or more ago but this is a different type of thing because it changes the flex of the deck...

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I've been doing some kind of project on Head Intelligence system when I was on college, and it seems to be rather good for some stuff, but does have some draw backs! As a board gets stiffer the harder you push it, the problem occures when riding bumps or chopped up stuff. The board gets impacts from snow, what makes it stiffen up, and bumps are a place where a board should not be stiff...

just my $0.02

I suppose you could put a switch on the board so that you could disable the active stiffening for riding in the bumps. Or, instead of having it automatically stiffen based on the conditions, make it manually adjustable, kind of like those electronically-adjustable automobile shocks that have a regular setting, a sport setting, and a track setting. The snowboard could have settings for groom, bumps, ice, speed, etc.

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Considering all the engineers on this board, I'm surprised nobody else has pointed this out. First off graphs in advertising are almost always about deception. If you carfeully examine the little test they've performed, you'll easily pick it apart as utter nonsense.

I know that when I'm trying to make an accurate measurement I use a hand swung hammer. It always provides the exact same impact.

Look at the two curves. The blue one is an exact replica of the red one only with a smaller initial impulse. This tells us that the two boards have reacted in precisely the same way, except the second one wasn't hit quite as hard. If the vibrations were affected in a manner that provide dampening, it would take less time for the vibrations to subside.

If this sytem actually made a difference in the manner in which the board reacts, I would expect to see a dramatically different looking blue curve. Instead I see the same curve with a smaller initial impulse.

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I demoed this board and did not like it as I thought the ride was very harsh in the bumps. This was with soft boots. I thought it was too stiff for bump riding and I weigh 185. Maybe it would be okay in perfect untracked powder but I was looking for a good all mountain board at the time. Stiffening up more in bumps is not good.

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Peter e-mailed me this link last week, it is a little off topic but some of you might get a kick out of it. http://blog.amplid.com/2008/03/11/a-little-history-lesson/ I hope you enjoy it! Ian

I have that vid, love it.

From that blog:

"So: Who invented what we know as “The 80ies”? Who was the first in pink and purple? Who was against any kind of establishment? Who was able to show the world that you actually can control a snowboard? And: Here comes the evidence for “20 years experience in boarddesign” … enjoy PB and friends carving it up at Whistler B.C., the capital of platebindings (in the 80ies!)."

That video was shot in 1991 and appeared in the 1992 Burton catalog, so I'm not sure what the 80's references are about. 80's would have been Safaris.

Phil: says you! :p

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[...]I'm surprised nobody else has pointed this out. [...]

Precisely. But then I just noticed your name so you do know about this stuff.

I suppose you're supposed to look at it and just think: "oh, that's clever stuff which I don't understand so it must be good". It has the opposite effect, making the whole thing sound like BS. Because that "test" certainly is.

In any case, from the rest of the video the pitch seems to be about variable flex control, not about damping (active or passive). So that pathetic "test" would not actually demonstrate what the good man's talking about even if it wasn't fake. Perhaps the whole thing is confused, or at least it has confused me.

I'd like to see some actual description of what's in the thing and what it's supposed to do (active damping, or variable flex). Probably there's a patent somewhere to look up. I suppose I'll have to google if I get bored.

If I could carry fewer boards through having configurable flex in each maybe that would be useful, but not that useful as there are many other parameters besides flex which I need to be different in piste and powder board (eg board width, taper...).

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While Peter Bauer is a legend and an incredible snowboarder and all around great guy, lets not forget he is now a salesman. Take a step back and forget that it is Peter and think does this really make sense? Can I have a plate shake it around and have pancakes and another day shake it around and have Eggs with Bacon? IF so sign me up.

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