Lazy Sk8s

Abstract

Engineering students have limited time in their schedules, the 10 minutes given by the University Schedule isn’t always enough time to make it to class. Running, biking, or trying to catch the unreliable campus buses are options, but students are left wanting more. This project aims to design and implement multi-terrain electric roller skates that are controlled wirelessly. The requirements are that the skates shall be attachable to fit regular shoes of differing sizes, shall accommodate users up to 250lbs, and supply enough energy to provide an hour of continuous ride time. To achieve these goals several areas are considered including the structural strength of the skates, the power consumption and torque of the motors, and the capabilities of the microcontroller and other electrical components chosen. The custom skates are fabricated using aluminum parts after strength calculations confirmed that the materials used will hold at least 250lbs. The motors are attached to the outside front wheels and are belt driven. Wireless communication uses two microcontrollers with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to control the speed of the skates. One is a handheld controller with a joystick that the rider uses as speed control. The other microcontroller, placed in the rider's power pack, receives signals from the user and controls the power delivered to the motors to achieve the desired speed.