BOARDLOCK
Link to Project: [[1]]
Week 1: September 3rd- September 7th
1. Brainstorming project ideas
- Inspired by the convenience of BIRD and LimeBike, we hoped to recreate this idea in a longboard rather than bikes and scooters
2. Decided on BOARDLOCK, envisioning a single-motor mappable electric longboard with manual locking ability (from iPhone)
Week 2: September 10th- September 14th
1. Max: Research/Acquiring materials (1.5 hours)
- Found optimal longboard size (33 inches), brushless motor, ESC, E-Longboard Assembly Kit, 2x Lipo Batteries
2. Sept 13: All 3 of us met with Jim and our TA to finalize BOARDLOCK idea, make a plan (1 hour)
- Got idea approved :), decided to focus on building GPS using Raspberry Pi
- Discarded building an app (not enough knowledge/would take too long)
- Debating how to manually increase/decrease motor speed (remote control vs wire connection?)
- Debating whether to use Bluetooth to detects user's proximity to longboard
- Debating best way to manually lock/unlock wheels (RFID key card?)
3. TA provided us with materials (Night Light, Raspberry Pi) and locker number
Week 3: September 17th - September 21st
1. Amin, Isa, Max: set up Night Light (2 hours)
- Built and tested the circuit on a breadboard, got it to work
- Designed a case for project (dimensions in millimeters: 50 x 24 x 80)
- Holding off on soldering -- need to show TA case design
2. Max and Isa: (unsuccessful) attempt to set up Raspberry Pi (1 hour)
3. Sept 21: Group meeting with Jim and TA (1 hour)
- Discuss progress and next steps
- Decide on budget, have materials approved in order to purchase them
- Set goals for next week
Week 4: September 24th - September 28th
GOALS:
a) Group: Finalize budget/Receive materials
c) Max: Set up Raspberry Pi, get GPS working
d) Amin: 3D print Night Light design
e) Isa: Understand basics of Bluetooth interface, finish Gantt chart/Presentation slides
1. Max:
- Met with Jim, got a new Raspberry Pi, set up to his computer (2 hours)
- Assembled Longboard (30 min)
2. Amin:
-Learned how to use Tinkercad and designed night light box (2 hours)
3. Isa:
- Set up Bluetooth connection to Raspberry Pi (1 hour)
- Finalized Gantt Chart/Presentation slides (30 min)
Week 4: October 1st - October 5th
1. Max and Isa: attempted to email Pi's IP address to ourselves (1 hour)
2. Max, Amin, Isa: successfully soldered components for Night Light onto Perfboard (30 min)
3. Amin: 3D printed Night Light design
Week 5: October 8th - October 12th
GOALS:
- Learn Python
- Power Pi with Lipo Battery, connect to ESC to Brushless Motor
- Program the Pi, test Bluetooth connection
- Attach motor to Longboard
- *Establish a Bluetooth connection from phone to Pi, be able to give commands
1. Isa:
- downloaded, familiarized with Python
- Start building plan to program Pi GPS
Week 5: October 15th - October 19th
GOALS:
- be able to communicate between the Pi and ESC
- secure Bluetooth connection: Can we give the board commands from a phone?
- Draw connections sketch!
- Program Pi using Python
1. Max: made Longboard electric! (in total ~ 24 hours)
2. Isa: lit up LED light on Breadboard using Pi/programmed in Python (1.5 hours)
3. Amin: researched to figure out the best way to get GPS coordinates from pi and plot them on a map. Figured out that the best way to do so would be to write from the pi to a usb or sd card, and program a script that plots those coordinates on a map.(1.5 hours)
