碳纤维新发明:战车轮滑鞋
你是否能想象双脚“穿”上自行车轮自由滑行？近日，一款最新发明的战车轮滑鞋，将颠覆人们的想象力，因为它比传统直排轮滑鞋赋予了轮滑者更多的可能性。这款发明已经获得21世纪ABC新发明计划(ABC’s New Inventors program ）“最受人们喜爱”奖。
由澳大利亚人迈克尔.詹金斯（Michael Jenkins）发明的这款新型轮滑鞋，将滑冰和自行车的功能集于一身。这个轮滑鞋的装置模仿人们骑自行车的原理：首先将轮滑者的双脚和膝盖固定在一根轴上，然后让双脚踩在轮内侧边安装的鞋内，利用膝盖带动双脚，从而带动双轮转动，双脚后跟各装有一个小滑轮保持稳定性。当双脚带动轮子向前转动时，滑轮者可以体验到滑雪和溜冰的速度感。詹金斯介绍说，相比传统旱冰鞋，这款轮滑鞋的重心更低，不仅使得轮滑者能滑得更快，而且操作性更强。詹金斯举例说，自己曾经一次试滑可以达到每小时12英里，而且中间没有间断。不仅如此，这款轮滑鞋还可以在草地上滑行，或者带领人们穿越崎岖的地形。刹车的方法有两种，可以用双手抓住车轮刹车（当然双手要佩戴特制手套），或者用脚做一个T字型刹车动作。
一个世纪以来人们一直在探索怎样提高滑轮性能，但是这款战车轮滑车的确通过引进新型材料轻松地实现了这个梦想。但是目前所采用的碳维复合材料的成本还很昂贵，根据香港战车轮滑鞋公司透露，预计这款轮滑鞋的造价和一辆一流的碳纤维自行车的造价相当。詹金斯说，如果明年这款轮滑鞋能正式投入市场，想要收藏这款战车轮滑鞋的滑轮爱好者可能需要花费几千澳元。
本文英文原文见(CNET), 复材在线编辑部编译，有删改。
Australian Michael Jenkins created his Wheelskates to bring skiing and cycling together in one product. The user’s feet are suspended below the axles of knee-high wheels in hinged leg and foot support struts; smaller rear wheels add stability. The mechanism helps create the impression of skiing and skating when moving forward.
Jenkins says the low center of gravity in his skates allows users greater speed and maneuverability than traditional inline skates, adding that he travels around 12 mph without traffic.It’s also possible to go down grassy slopes and traverse rough terrain on them. Stopping is achieved by gripping the wheels with special gloves, or doing a T-stop.
People have been tinkering with wheeled footwear for more than a century, but Chariot Skates brings modern materials know-how to the dream of effortless motion.
The prototype skates are made of expensive carbon composite material, and estimated production costs are comparable to those of “first-class carbon fiber bicycles,” according to Chariot Skates, which is based in Hong Kong.
Jenkins has said they may cost several thousand Australian dollars when they hit the market, expected next year.
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