A group of researchers at ETH Zurich in Switzerland have been working on a specially designed shield to help runners improve their running speed. The Airshield – the aptly named device – is essentially a plastic box that a runner can pull in front of them while training. This allows runners to train without having to worry about air resistance.

The goal is to help runners reach new levels of performance. And even when the shield is removed, runners can still train at the same level. The shield basically works like an air deflector, removing air resistance from the runner completely. This is achieved by being pulled in front of them by an electric go-kart.

The Airshield is a wedge-shaped, open-backed cart with transparent sides and a transparent front. It uses rear-facing LiDAR sensors to measure how far the runner is from the shield. This information is then transmitted to the go-kart, which automatically accelerates or slows down to keep the person right in the “sweet spot,” as the researchers call it. The driver essentially just has to steer.

The shield is also fitted with several cameras that allow researchers to film the athletes as they train. This footage can then be evaluated to assess the runner’s performance and identify where they can improve in future training. It’s very similar to how cars sometimes ignore air resistance when driving behind larger vehicles, but it’s fascinating to see it used in this way.

The Airshield is still an ongoing research project and no announcement has been made as to when or if it will be used for regular training. For now, though, you can at least see the Airshield in action by watching the video above. It looks to be a really useful tool for runners looking to improve their speed, especially if they want to do so in a slightly unconventional way.

Previously, researchers at ETH Zurich also investigated how ChatGPT can guess secrets that you would never tell it.