Researchers and engineers at Riga Technical University (RTU) in Latvia, from the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Technologies and Transport and the Sports Technology Centre, are building a large tribometer, a device that measures friction, 21 metres long and described as one of only a few of its kind in the world.
It will test how surface geometry and materials affect friction and sliding: sled runners and other sports equipment on ice and snow at high speeds and pressures, tyre grip on road surfaces, the slipperiness of sports-hall floors and the treatment of metal surfaces to slide better on Arctic ice.
The frame and main mechanical parts were made by the Latvian company Latvijas Finieris, and the device will sit in a climate chamber on the Ķīpsala campus, funded by the State Research Programme “Sports”. The first half of 2027 will be devoted to testing and calibration, with scientific research expected to begin in the second half of the year.
