The existing ski tribometer had several ergonomic issues and design flaws that impacted its performance and usability. Users experienced difficulties with mass center displacement and weight loading, resulting in inefficiency and frustration. A comprehensive design and development effort was needed to create a solution that would improve these aspects and meet advanced technical standards.

The goal of the Ski Tribometer project was to enhance the existing tribometer by improving its ergonomic design, optimizing its aerodynamics, and refining the overall user experience (UX). These improvements aimed to make the instrument more user-friendly, thereby easing the workload for the user while simultaneously increasing the accuracy of ski-snow friction measurements.

We developed an innovative mechanical solution for mass center displacement using a trapezoidal threaded rod inspired by vices. This eliminated the manual lifting aspect and improved precision in adjustments. Instead of manually lifting over 160 kg, users can now easily adjust the weight with our solution. For weight loading, we designed two openable covers that enabled easier and safer handling of weight plates. The exterior design was updated with a modern, aerodynamic look and color choices reflecting the collaboration with the Swedish Olympic Committee. The full-scale prototype demonstrated significant improvements in both aesthetics and functionality.