Skateboards were organically developed in the 1940s and 1950s; 30 years would then pass before the ollie was developed, unlocking new realms for skaters dedicated to the artform. The advent of powerful batteries and motors would later make the electric skateboard a practical and (un?)fashionable method of transport in more recent years. Now, [Ivan Miranda] is pushing the cutting edge of skateboarding even further, with an entirely weird build of his own design.
The build was inspired by one-wheels, which [Ivan] considers fun but ultimately too dangerous. Most specifically, he fears crashing when the one-wheel is tilted beyond a critical angle at which the motor can restore it to a level heading. His concept was to thus create a two-wheeled board that is nonetheless controlled with the leaning interface of a one-wheel.
The frame is assembled from a combination of 3D-printed brackets and aluminium extrusion. The rider stands on a platform which rides on rollers on top of the frame, tilting it to control the drive direction of the board. Detecting the angle is handled by an Arduino Due with an MPU6050 IMU onboard. The microcontroller is then responsible for commanding the speed controller to move the board. Drive is from a brushless DC motor, hooked up to one of the wheels via a toothed belt. Power is courtesy of three power tool batteries.
Early testing showed the design to be a bit of a death trap. However, with refinement to the control system code and an improved battery setup, it became slightly more graceful to ride. [Ivan] notes that more tuning and refinement is needed to make the thing safer than a one-wheel, which was the original goal. We’ve seen some other great builds from [Ivan] before, too. Video after the break.
Fun fact I learned from this video is plastic used to make hinges in toilet seats is very resistant to acetic acid. This could come in handy when building RC planes.
I see it as a half pipe mounted on an e bike. Crazy sensitive input… LOL what a build.
It officially became a true skateboard when it injured your shin! Haha
havent seen an arduino due used in a while…
looks more like a floor jack
I haven’t bother to actually do the analysis, but I have to wonder if his “suspended pendulum” design actually works the same as a one-wheel “teeter-totter” when it comes to control input and reaction to acceleration forces. My gut reaction is that the 2 aren’t comparable and are going to have a very different control feel, possibly be with solution being potentially inherently unstable
My gut says the it is the exact opposite of a one wheel.
With a one wheel it accelerates in the direction you lean to put the wheel back under the center of mass. If I understand correctly and this is something sitting in a bowl then it would have to go in the opposite direction of the lean to get under the center of mass. So if it acts the same as a one wheel it’s anti-stable.
In a bowl or halfpipe, you always lean forward in the direction of motion or the board will always fly away out in front of you due to the momentum. Leaning back will put you up on two wheels and then on your butt with no wheels. It doesn’t matter if you’re going up or down. Bend your knees, lean forward, and push down with your legs at ramp transitions.
Maybe just use pads with FSR:s
Err, since when skateboards were “safe”? Anything on wheels that you cannot sit on with the legs not touching the ground is not safe. Also not inplying that the reverse is true, check yt for cars smashing into anything.
Am I to old?
What is safe?
Yes, but this one qualifies for the rare honor of being both a death trap and also extremely slow and boring at the same time! I do want to see somebody attempt an ollie.
Friends at an eskate community recommended this too — haha check it out
https://www.reddit.com/r/ebikes/s/dHwipuOFRP