Probably not. Anyway . . .
http://www.manufacturingcenter.com/dfx/news/stories/feature-2.asp
Fire on ice
The Great One says new skate will “revolutionize” hockey
Canadian skate blade maker Therma Blade Inc. and hockey legend Wayne Gretzky have unveiled a revolutionary new heated, battery-powered skate blade called Thermablade that eight to 10 NHL players will wear to test real-game performace in upcoming NHL matches.
The new Thermablade will be worn by eight to 10 NHL players in games this season. Purported benefits indicate a distinct physiological advantage as a result of increased stamina and reduced fatigue.
"There's no doubt that we are seeing the latest advance in the evolution of skating technology, and I see Thermablade being popular equipment among NHL players," says Gretzky, who is an investor in the new skate being produced in Quebec. "Thermablades are going to revolutionize the game of hockey. They represent the most significant advance in skate blade design in at least 30 years.”
The NHL has agreed to allow a small group of players to test Thermablade in games over the next few weeks, says Kris King, senior manager of NHL hockey operations. The NHL wants to confirm testing data provided by Therma Blade Inc. and establish the safety and reliability of the blade under NHL game conditions.
Thermablade is designed to maintain a consistent temperature of approximately 5°C using a small battery and a microprocessor stored within each skate blade holder. The warm blade acts to increase the thickness of the water layer between the blade and the ice surface, dramatically reducing gliding friction and starting resistance for skaters.
The reduced friction allows players to reach top speed faster and to skate using less energy. Physiological benefits include a reduction in heart rate, increased stamina, and less fatigue over the course of a hockey game.
The PSoC CapSense solution for capacitive sensing, from Cypress Semiconductor, was used in Thermablade. The PSoC solution allows the heat to be turned on and off using touch-sensitive controls, eliminating the need for mechanical buttons that can be broken or pressed accidentally, an important feature considering the very physical nature of hockey. The CapSense solution also is waterproof, a useful feature for hockey, as well as white goods such as washing machines and dishwashers, and industrial equipment. The skate takes advantage of a CapSensePLUS device in which the PSoC solution does much more than just on-and-off controls. The CapSense device also heats the skate blade and powers down the system during periods of inactivity to extend battery life.
The blade’s inventor, Tory Weber, of Calgary, spent more than $5 million over five years in researching and developing his hot idea. He contacted Gretzky and delivered a prototype in 2004 at the All-Star game in Minnesota. The Great One was so impressed, he agreed to invest and endorse the invention.
"This is an incredible day both for Thermablades and for the game of hockey," says Weber. "We have spent the last few years working extremely hard to develop our technology from the ground up, with input from both elite and recreational players, and we believe Thermablades are truly the next wave in hockey skate technology."
How it works: A small, rechargeable impact-resistant lithium polymer battery electrically warms the blade to 5°C, producing a thin layer of water between blade and ice to reduce friction at the surface.
Performance tests of the heated blades revealed benefits such as starting friction being reduced by 65% to 75%, sliding friction lowered by 50% to 55%, and vibration reduced by about 50%. As an example of one benefit, the reduced blade vibration increased the players’ feel and control of their blade edges. Players that tested the blades stated that they felt they could make tighter turns and that they were more confident in their cornering.
In surveys of players who used the heated blades during product testing over the summer, about 85% of players said the Thermablades were significantly smoother to skate on than conventional blades; 68% said they skated farther with less effort; about 61% said they accelerated more quickly; 63% said they felt less fatigue while playing.
The NHL is taking things slow in warming up to the idea. There are ice quality issues, as well as questions as to what would happen should an errant slapshot shatter the heating elements across the rink during play.
Such a device would be illegal in international and Olympic competition, however. There are specific rules regarding heated blades after it was discovered that certain teams were experimenting with them before speed skating races.
Testing of Thermablade under controlled conditions showed that players using heated blades displayed reduced heart rates and lower lactic acid production. Overall performance benefits indicated a physiological advantage over conventional skate blades as a result of increased stamina and reduced fatigue.
Thermablades will be available in specialty sports stores in Canada at a suggested price of $399.99.
"Thermablades are about to change the game of hockey," says Weber, at the Hockey Hall of Fame. "The technology substantially enhances skating performance, and the heated blade has absolutely no negative impact on the ice surface at all."
As part of a launch event, an early prototype of the heated blades that Weber has been developing since 1975 — a skate blade with an electrical extension cord attached — was donated to the Hockey Hall of Fame for display.
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Thermablade Inc.
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Cypress Semiconductor
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