USC's Final Design Project 

Project Description 

This is the end of my undergraduate journey -- my Final Design Project! This project is a fusion of skateboarding, the intriguing principle of the law of conservation of energy, the enigmatic realm of parametric instability, and the fascinating world of robotics. 

My team's objective was to dissect the physics behind professional skateboarder's gravity-defying maneuvers on half pipes by driving into the details of their biomechanics.  By observing skateboarders in a half-pipe, we realized that these professionals execute jaw-dropping tricks and ascend to heights seemingly defying physics. These heights were executed without the conventional foot-powered impulses that one would associate with skateboarding. As such, our project aims to answer the following question: 

• How do skateboarders obtain the required energy for these gravity defying stunts?