Intuitive Electric Skateboard (IoT)
Skateboarding—though fun and functional—still faces major issues, including safety risks, awkward portability, slow remote-based electric controls, difficulty in screen visibility, easy theft, and challenges in safely decelerating.
Our solution is an intuitive electric skateboard that matches push speed automatically, uses an onboard OLED for visual speed cues, and adds remote-controlled anti-theft locking with IMU-triggered alarms. This skateboard also uses foot cues to aid in slowing down.
Electronics + Functionality
In terms of components, we used a:
12VDC Motor
Hall Sensors
IMU (intertial measurement unit)
Ultrasonic Sensor
Pressure Sensor
LEDs
Push Buttons
Speakers
OLED Display
11.1V Lipo Battery
How it works:
We initially wanted to attach electronics and a 36V motor to a regular skateboard. However, due to safety constraints, we pivoted and decided to scale down the skateboard such that the regular board contains the IMU, speaker, pressure sensor, OLED, and ultrasonic sensors, while a miniaturized board has the 12V motor and hall sensors.
Remote:
Increase and decrease motor speed
Arms and disarms the security system
LED
Push Button (x3)
Speaker
Big Board
IMU connected to motor to detect acceleration (based off of push of)
OLED Display (displays speed, arming status, and object detection)
Ultrasonic Sensor (foot cued braking)
IMU (used for both locking system and acceleration monitor)
Pressure Sensor to enable acceleration - mimics foot being on board
Mini Board
Motor connected RPM increases if acceleration is detected and decreases when obstacle detected.
12V DC Motor
Level shifter (for Hall Sensors)
Motor Driver
External 11.1V Power Supply (Lipo)
Remote
Big Board
Little Board
Initial and Iterated Design
After Scaling Down
Breadboard —> Protoboard
Connections were soldered onto the protoboard for enhanced packagability
Finalized Version
Skateboard Increasing Speed due to Remote Control
Arming and Disarming System
Big Board Acceleration Mimicked onto Mini Board