Through a combination of resourcefulness and the highest-tech equipment we could afford, such as drill batteries and a few high-power density motors, Ball and his colleagues invented a device that could hoist 250 pounds of weight 50 feet into the air in seven seconds only two seconds slower than the competitions specification.
The novel aspect of the ATLAS ascender is its rope-handling mechanism. Similar to the way an anchor is raised and lowered on a ship, the device relies on the capstan effect, which produces a tighter grip each consecutive time a rope is wrapped around a cylinder. The grip continues to tighten as more weight is applied to the line.
In his design, a standard-sized rope (between three-eighths and five-eighths of an inch) is weaved between a series of specially configured rollers that sit on top of a turning spindle. As the battery-powered spindle rotates, it continuously pulls rope through the device. We currently have three patents pending for the rope interaction and other iterations on the device said Ball.
Ball and his colleagues founded Atlas Devices, LLC to develop and market the ATLAS Powered Rope Ascender. He has upgraded the original design, and the device is now powered by high-density, lithium-ion batteries created by A123Systems. Ball said the new power system immediately dropped the devices weight by several pounds and significantly increased its speed.
The latest configuration weighs 20 pounds and peaks at 10 feet per second, he said. A123Systems has a 150-foot steam tower we were able to use for testing. We successfully completed a 100-foot continuous ascent to the towers platform in 14 seconds.
Ball envisions his invention having practical applications in rescue work, recreational climbing and cave exploration, as well as urban warfare situations. It can help people complete tasks more efficiently and without depleting energy they would otherwise use climbing ladders
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Contact: Matt Paine
mpaine@coneinc.com
617-939-8314
Lemelson-MIT Program
14-Feb-2007