Development of Kayak Ergometer using Electromagnetic Brake for Indoor Training

The aim of this study is to develop a prototype of kayak ergometer that has a potential to emulate actual on-water paddling resistance. The proposed ergometer equips an electromagnetic powder brake as a source of resistance, and the resistance can be controlled dynamically according to the electrical signal. Besides, the developed ergometer has the function of detecting the paddle position to avoid generating resistance when the paddle is out of the imaginary water surface. In the experiment, three kayak athletes performed paddling using the developed ergometer and evaluated generated resistance patterns to provide feedback for improvement. Although the method for detecting paddle position and the method for smoothing the fluctuation of rotational speed should be improved, the experimental results show the developed ergometer is beneficial for kayak paddlers on indoor training.