Optimal Skateboard Geometry for Maximizing Ollie Height: a Multi-Phase Direct Collocation Optimization Study

Skateboarding involves a human controlling a four wheeled vehicle that is steered by tilting the standing surface. The riding mechanics of skateboarding have been well reported [2, 3]. The sport also includes aerial maneuvers such as jumping of stairs, flying off ramps and flipping and rotating the skateboard. The most basic aerial trick is...

Modeling a Professional Road Cycling Race To Determine the Fastest Wheel-Tire Combination

Commissioned for Team DSM, a computational model for professional road cycling races is developed to answer the question: ``What is the optimal cycling wheel-tire combination, available to Team DSM in order to ride different road cycling races as fast as possible?''. This model is used to make an approximation of the wind that the cyclist...

Using Model Predictive Control on a Steer-by-Wire Bicycle for Performance Assistance

Bicycle safety is quickly becoming an increasingly important field as the number of electric bicycles on the streets grows faster each year. E-bikes are able to accelerate quicker and travel at faster speeds than conventional bicycles, increasing the severity of injuries in case of an accident. There are a number of ways to improve safety, such...

Predicting cycling risk at intersections with natural cycling data for speed-controlled e-bikes

The rapid adoption of e-bikes as an alternative mode of transportation to automobiles gives rise to new methods of safety regulations for cyclists. Modern e-bikes feature Internet of Things (IoT) modules capable of collecting and sending cycling data that can be used for traffic safety analysis. This study explores the potential of using cycling...

Investigation of the chatter and squeal phenomenon in bicycle disc brakes

Bicycle disc brake noise and vibration, which usually falls in the frequency range of 0-2 kHz, is a principal braking quality attribute that has started to attract significant interest from bicycle manufacturers. Brake noise is an irritant to their customers, who see it as a symptom of a defective brake and that leads to unnecessary warranty...

Learning cycling styles using experimental trajectory data with Inverse Reinforcement Learning

Cycling is an increasingly attractive transportation mode, thanks to its health and environmental benefits. Personalized travel assistance services can help make cycling more appealing by providing speed or route advices that can reduce travel time and increase safety while taking into account the personal preferences of cyclists. Due to its...

Development of an Integrated Bicycle Accident Detection System: Introducing ALARM: Accident Localisation And Recognition Method

Bicycles connected to the internet present an opportunity for integrated accident detection and geolocation. Such a system can reduce the time it takes for help to arrive by automatically alerting predefined contacts with the location of the accident. I developed a systematic method for the practical implementation of bicycle accident detection...