How Does a Self Balancing Scooter Work?

Self balancing scooters are the “in thing” right now and everyone’s got one. You’ve probably just bought your own Drift Scooter self balancing scooter and are having plenty of fun with it.

However, leaving aside all the fun and hype surrounding this crazy technological invention, do you have any idea how a self balancing scooter actually works?

Well, we thought you might want to know. So, we prepared this post for you with all the basic details behind how a self balancing scooter actually gets moving.

Components

These are the primary components involved in the construction and functioning of a self balancing scooter:

• A logic board
• Two gyroscopes
• A steel frame attached with a central pivot
• Two infra-red sensors
• Two electric motors placed in the wheels
• Two tilt and speed sensors, also placed in the wheels
• Battery pack
• Pressure pads
• LED lights
• Power switch
• Charging port
• A plastic shell
• Charger

Functions

All the components mentioned above have a role to play in the functioning of a self balancing scooter. However, we’ll just take a look at the most important ones. To begin with, you have the battery pack, which is what supplies the needed power to your self balancing scooter. Battery packs tend to vary in capacity based on the model you purchase, but are generally 36v or 25.2v

Next, the wheels of the self balancing scooter hold the electric motors, along with the tilt and speed sensors. The tilt and speed sensors help detect the RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) of each wheel. The detected readings are then sent to the gyroscopes and the speed control boards, which are located in the primary frame or body, right near the wheels.

Once the gyroscopes and the speed control boards receive the readings from the sensors, they forward it to the logic board.

Initially, the logic board calibrates the gyroscopes with a 0 reading, which basically means that the self balancing scooter is in a flat position. The calibration can be changed using the self balancing scooter’s (optional) remote control.

The logic board is where all the important action happens. Here, the processor carries out several computations that determine the status of the board. This includes data about travel speed, the relative speed of the wheels, and the tilt position of the wheels.

The logic board is also responsible for power management, and is where the hoverboard charger plugs into. For instance, if you’re in beginner mode, the logic board will automatically limit the maximum speed by reducing the power supply.

Finally, .

Movement

So, how does the self balancing scooter move? Well, this is where the pressure pads come in. For example, when you lean forward, the switch in the front gets pressed down. Then, a plastic wall of sorts inserts itself between the infra-red sensor and the infrared LED.

Once the sensors detect the light, the logic board sends out a message to the motors asking them to remain still. But, when the light gets disturbed due to the pressing, the board informs the motors to start spinning.

Balancing

For the balancing part, the tilt sensors inform the gyroscopes on how far you are leaning. The gyroscopes then send this information to the logic board. So, depending on how forward you lean, the logic board determines how fast the motors in the wheels spin. Basically, it is your weight distribution and center of gravity that ultimately control the speed of thee self balancing scooter.