The goal of this project is to solve the problem of not being aware of certain objects in front of the user while skateboarding at night.
Final Report, Final Graphics Portfolio, Final Presentation Slides, Final prototype/design representation, Final Reflection Memo
Completed project due by June 7th, Budget of $100, Durable Materials
The main user would be the skateboarder utilizing the solution in order to not hit anyone or anything. The secondary user would be the pedestrians on the road who could eventually get hit by the skateboard.
It’s a Saturday night and Bob is visiting his girlfriend who lives on south campus. He arrived at her dorm on his skateboard around 4 pm when it was still bright and sunny outside. They spent the day together and he even taught her how to ride his skateboard. They eventually ended up falling asleep while watching a movie and by the time they woke up it was already 1 am. Bob had to get back to his dorm which is on north campus because he had an important meeting the next morning. He gets on his skateboard but can barely see a thing. He ends up almost falling multiple times due to not being able to see the rocks and cracks in the sidewalk/roads.
Sensing: The system should be able to successfully detect objects in front of the board. The use of the sensor should report back if there is either a stationary or incoming object in direct sight of the front of the board. The current distance is set to 3 meters, but the product has the capacity to detect up to 8 meters.
User Communication: The system should be able to alert the user of objects that are disrupting the user's path. The alert will come in the form of a light system on the front of the skateboard that the user will notice when riding. It will light up for one full second from when an object is detected.
Durability: The system should not break upon impact and should be able to withstand different terrains. The system in its entirety should be able to be used on a daily basis without running out of battery or detaching.
Ease of Attachment: Attaching the system to the board should be convenient and easy for the user. The whole attachment should not take more than one minute and instructions should be clear enough to follow upon no more than two tries.
| Needs | Metrics | Units | Ideal Value | Allowable Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attachable and lightweight to be able to carry around | Weight Max | |||
| Length Max | lbs | |||
| in | ½ lbs | |||
| 5-10 | 1 | |||
| 10 | ||||
| Able to fully show the path | Distance | meters | 2-3 | 1 |
| Durable | Withstand Weight | lbs | 10 | 7 |
| Able to alert the user to obstacle | Audible Volume | |||
| Light | Decibels | |||
| Lumens | 75-80 | |||
| 40 | 70 | |||
| 30 |
Table E1: Project Requirements