Josh Teichman
4th Year Engineering Student
Capstone Project
Pop Lock
The Capstone project I chose this year attempts to address the problem of a lack of places to lock bikes in college campuses that experience high rates of bike transit. We hope to solve this problem in an effort to reduce the bike theft rate on college campuses, as most bike theft is of bikes that are not locked.
Mentor - SeatyLock
SeatyLock is a company that creates a sturdy, folding bike lock featuring a unique structure that forms a seat. It acts as a bicycle seat during riding and after a few steps, it can unfold into a one-meter lock when the bike is not in use.
We will employ their help once or twice a week via email by getting their opinion on our design components as well as having them answer questions about the consumer market and the feasibility of certain production approaches.
Prototype Design Documentation
3D Model - Assembled Prototype
This is a 3D assembly of my group's bike lock prototype. It mainly consists of a 15ft x 35ft x 1ft rectangular platform and a ramp. Parallel to the length of the platform lies nine thick, magnetic bars slightly offset from the plane. The platform is divided into distinct sections by fifteen "needle-hole" wheel holders. The tire depicted at the lower end of the image has an electromagnetic strip attached to the inside. Next to the tire, there is a power box that can temporarily deactivate the magnetic attraction between the bike tire and the magnetic bars. This is done with the use of an RFID card, placed on top of the power box.
Prototype Design Sketches
Cost Analysis -
Capstone Project Progress Summary #1
As of 2/1/2021, we are currently preparing to enter the prototype phase of our capstone project. We are researching and collecting materials, comparing the prices of each part with our budget. We are also investigating the various criteria that need to be tested before the construction of our prototype. We are doing this by revisiting our design specifications and listing the criteria/benchmarks that should be tested to ensure the success of our product.
Capstone Video (Elevator Pitch) -
Capstone Project Progress Summary #2
As of 3/5/2021, we have completed the initial proof of concept/prototype of our solution. We had to change our design from the bike connecting to the electromagnet via the wheel because we realized that the wheel's rubber would reduce the pulling force between the magnets significantly. Instead, we have attached a plate to the bike frame. The electromagnet is connected to a pole that suspends it at the same angle as the bike frame. We are now entering the testing phase and hope to use the data we collect from this phase to modify and reinforce our solution.