SSEC Curriculum Product Specialist featured in Smithsonian Magazine about the Science of Curling

October 1, 2020

SSEC’s curriculum product specialist, Hannah Osborn, has been featured in a Smithsonian Magazine article about an AI-powered robot, Curly the Curling Robot, who is beating athletes at their own sport.

The sport of curling involves pushing a 40 lbs stone down a sheet of ice in a form that knocks the opposing stone out of the center ring. This is easier said than done as the sport requires extreme precision to keep the stone on its projected path. The smallest things, like ice particles, can impact the speed of the stone.

In the article, Osborn explains how “sweeping” helps melt tiny ice pebbles and reduces friction between the stone and the ice’s surface. Athletes will sweep faster or slower depending on the speed the stone needs to travel across the ice.

To read the full article, click here: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/curly-curling-robo...