The Ground Effect is a car or watercraft that simulates flying like a bird. It allows users to lay down comfortably across the two canvas hammocks. With you arms out to the side, you can grab onto the steering system, and by rotating your body and arms together you steer just like a bird. Simply with a push of your foot on the accelerator pedal you can control the speed. Either gliding across the water or flying over the land, the Ground Effect is the newest and most exciting method of transport.

The Ground Effect was made to give riders the sensation of flying like a bird, including using their arms to make turns. The idea was inspired by a hammock boat that glides across the water, and also a virtual flight simulator where the person was suspended in a harness and wore a virtual reality (VR) headset. From these precedents we came up with the idea of being suspended over the water face down from a structure on two pontoons. We created the first prototype using two wood slabs to simulate the two pontoons and some popsicle sticks for the structure that would suspend the person in a harness. We found the harness uncomfortable, so we decided to use two hammocks to support the person. Also due to the difficulty of testing it on water, we decided to make this version a land based vehicle.

The second prototype was made from LEGO bricks. We built a mini version of the steering system using rope that we attached to the wheels and a pulley where the person pulls. Using LEGO bricks we were able to learn a lot about the type of steering that would work best with the pulley system. 

After building the LEGO prototype we were able to obtain a kid’s pedal-powered go cart, which helped us move forward to our next prototype. After taking apart the cart, we were able to attach two 2x4’s to the cart that would be the base of the wood structure. Next making the frame, we attached posts that would be used to attach to the canvas hammocks. We noticed the  stress of the person’s weight pulled the supporting posts together, therefore we created triangular supports between the posts for more strength. Once the structure was complete, we attached a canvas for the main hammock to support the rider’s upper body and a foot hammock to support the rider's legs. Then we started to work on the steering using the cart’s old steering rod. After cutting it down to the right length we attached a long metal bar that would give the driver leverage to steer with ease. The steering bar needed to move side to side for steering, but our bird arms moved up and down. Therefore, we needed to convert the up and down from the arms to the side to side motion of the lever. We accomplished that with a pulley system. Using two pulleys for each side we fastened one to the edge of the wood frame at an angle that directed the rope to go up to the second which was attached to a wooden dowel. From there we cut the rope length so that the person arms would be at a comfortable starting position based on the height that the person we be suspended by the canvas. 

The final step was to attach the motor which we screwed onto the back. With springs pulling the motor we were able to create enough friction to be propelled forward. A pedal can be attached to allow the rider to control the speed of the motor with their foot.