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KUKA satisfies the need for speed

During the Alpine World Ski Championships 2011 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, a KUKA 4D-simulator will be showing what it is like when world best skier race down the newly redesigned Kandahar run

8 February 2011

Garmisch-Partenkirchen/Augsburg, Februar 2011 – During the Alpine World Ski Championships 2011, being held from 7-20 February in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, KUKA will be present at the media and press center (Olympic ice sports center) with the 4D-simulator. The 4D-simulator was developed in cooperation with the German Aerospace Center (DLR). In the world’s only passenger robot, a HD video, 3D motions, realistic sound effects and a ventilator-generated head wind replicate the new Kandahar run for the passenger to experience with all his senses.
What does it really feel like when the legendary stars of alpine skiing audaciously plummet down the championship runs? The KUKA 4D-simulator is providing the spectacular answer to this question in Garmisch. It consists of two seats with projection screens, mounted on a robot arm that can move in six axes. The passengers can experience the simulation of the Kandahar run on a 20" LCD flat-screen monitor.

Free-fall not just for alpine skiing stars

For the video, former Austrian alpine skier Hans Knauß took on the 3300 meter long Kandahar run with a camera. On the way down, he describes details of the world championship run. Particularly impressive, and experienced directly by the passenger, is the new central feature of the run, the so-called “Free Fall”. Since 2009, this 90 percent drop in Garmisch represents the steepest gradient to be found anywhere in world championship skiing.

Safety is the top priority for KUK

The KUKA 4D-simulator is the only TÜV-approved passenger robot in the world and features numerous safety devices. Video cameras allow the KUKA robot experts to monitor the passengers at all times.

The German Aerospace Center (DLR) was responsible for the creation of the video film and the challenging, synchronized programming of the 3D motions of the KUKA 4D simulators.

Top speeds on the bobsleigh track

In addition to the Kandahar experience, the KUKA passenger can also experience a run down the new Königsee bob track in the four-man bob. The 3D motions, wind effects, HD video and sound reproduce the impressions experienced by a bob professional on the new 1200 meter long Königsee track. Top speeds of up to 120 kilometers per hour are reached on the new bob run. The KUKA 4D-simulator will be on hand at the press center in the Olympic ice sports center throughout the Alpine World Ski Championships to provide media representatives with a unique ride experience offering guaranteed fun.