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)