The “Disqualifier”

The Disqualifier is a padded garment with two independent attachments that come with it. The first attachment is a control module, the second the propulsion device. The padded garment is a pre-fabricated shin guard intended for a sport known as muay thai: a one-versus-one full contact sport from Thailand that consists of kicks, punches, elbow/knee strikes, and grabs.

Coming into my undergrad I started muay thai. Even after progressing significantly in judo, kyokushin, taekwondo and other fighting styles prior to college, muay thai was very new. It had a characteristic aggression that paired very nicely with the technical background I had previously developed. Unfortunately, after getting a bit confused during a taekwondo tournament. I accidentally used a muay thai version of striking that got me disqualified from my match. As homage to this experience, I decided to aptly name this project “the Disqualifier.”

Figure 1: Image of muay thai match for technical win conditions (Goh)

The Disqualifier is a device that propels the foot off of the ground and into a kicking form. The functional aspect of the device is to take out the initial phase and effort of a Muay Thai kick, allowing for a faster and more efficient strike. As of now, I intend to use two hydraulic actuators to propel the foot, providing the necessary force and speed for effective movement. These actuators will be attached to a bracer that fastens securely to the ankle, ensuring stability and control during activation. Ideally, the actuators can be hydraulically activated by a remote relay that will be connected to the second independent portion: a glove-like attachment on the hand. This glove will act as a control interface, allowing the user to trigger the kick with a simple hand motion, potentially incorporating pressure sensors or haptic feedback to improve responsiveness and precision.

Figure 2: General sketch of the independent parts

If everything goes well, and I can find a way to stabilize electronics so they can handle such a force of propulsion, I would love to have an electronic servo with a Teensy 4.1 microcontroller (or some other MCU) that could dynamically adjust the angle at which the actuators strike the ground. The angle of contact will alter the trajectory of the kick, allowing for greater precision and adaptability in movement. The trajectory of the kick can then (after further kinematic considerations with fellow members of the same competition team) derive the type of kick that will be delivered. Additionally, incorporating real-time sensor feedback could help refine the actuation process, ensuring optimal performance based on terrain conditions and system response times.

Figure 3: Rough demonstration of how servo and angle affects the kick trajectory.

Figure 4: General overview of device and design. Very rudimentary circuit.

References:

Goh, Z. (n.d.). Muay Thai: Rules, history, SEA games sport. Olympics. https://www.olympics.com/en/news/what-is-muaythai-thai-boxing-sport-at-south-east-asian-games