Introduction: Skateboard Controller

About: I wb in Belgorod Russia. In 2002 I graduated from Belgorod STU mechanical engineering and CAD. In 2004 I'v defended the dissertation "CAD for ball mill". I am a lecturer in BSTU. My hobby is 3D and &…

Skateboard is extremely interesting sports equipment. In a real life... But what about virtual space? Can we move on skateboard along the Formula 1 trace? Or slide across the ocean waves? It will be a truth when you connect your skate to computer as a new controller. So you we be able to control virtual "person" or "vehicle" by the habitual movements on skateboard.

The main idea is to convert the tilts of a skateboard to inputting signals. For a most of gaming software we can use arrow buttons on keyboard to control motion. So the simplest way is to connect arrow buttons to a skateboard. I suggest a way to convert tilts of a skateboard to switch contacts of arrow buttons. The core feature is a container with a ball moving inside it. When container tilting the ball touches the walls and the bottom of a container in appropriate areas. Those areas will be the contacts and ball will close the electrical circuit. One container can switch on one of two buttons ("forward"-"back" or "left"-"right"). So we can use two containers with a 45 degrees relative position to combine of two arrow pressing ("forward"+"right", "forward"+"left", "back"+"right", "back"+"left").

Fusion360 project

3D model

Step 1: Materials and Tools

Materials:

  • old skateboard - BOARD ONLY
  • life preserver or similar inflatable ring (D_hole ~ 300 mm, D_body ~ 130 mm)
  • cable (2-wire, 4 pieces x 3 m or 1 ethernet (8-wire) cable x 3 m)
  • rope (D = 4 mm, 2 pieces x 1 m)
  • piece of cloth (size 350x350 mm, 2 items)
  • keyboard (for a small conversion)
  • switcher body (2 items)
  • switcher cover (2 items)
  • plane bottom contact (4 items)
  • plane side contact (4 items)
  • steel ball (D = 6 mm, 2 items)
  • screw (4x10 mm, 8 items)

Tools:

  • office knife
  • screw drivers set
  • soldering tool
  • thin rasp (needle file)
  • drills set
  • pliers
  • scissors
  • ruler
  • awl
  • pencil
  • 3d-printer to make "Switcher Body" and "Switcher Cover"

Step 2: Assembly

Assembly according to animated sequence.

Step 3: Usage

Start your favorite game on computer. Climb on skateboard controller and lean forward a bit. Try to stay on a virtual track and win the race!

Fusion 360 project

3D model

P.S.

Of course, you can modify this project using any wireless solution you like.

Skateboard Contest

Participated in the
Skateboard Contest