Super Sk8:
Skateboard and Longboard Brakes
Our team came together to identify a whitespace, or areas where needs are unmet that provide opportunities for innovation. We thought about things on campus that frustrated us. Common anecdotes we shareed were longboarders and skateboarders crashing into pedestrians on the sidewalk.
Emily, one of the members of our team, was a longboarder, and she says that she struggles to stop on the long board. We interviewed and sent out surveys to skate/longboarders on campus to learn more about braking and the prevalence of this problem. We received overwhelming evidence and anecdotes about the dangers of braking and the lack of safe braking mechanisms.
• Bottoms of shoes are completely worn out from braking with shoes
• Anecdotes about being unable to stop and crashing into people
• Anecdotes about being unable to stop, jumping off the board and letting the board crash into people
• At first nervous about learning to board, because difficult to stop
• Prevalent distaste for boarders due to their lack of control
• Most have seen or been in some kind of boarding accident
As we thought about modes of transport on campus, we realized that only skate/longboards did not have a braking system. Bicycles and scooters had brakes had brakes, but why didn’t skate/long boards?
After this investigation, we were able to identify the whitespace: Skate/longboard braking
Our two designs:
• The shoe stop that goes under the shoe for protection and assistance with stopping
• The spring brake that is located at the back of the board and is stepped on to brake
Use brush for cushioning and to provide friction
Use padding for friction
Investigated the shape of the spring brake with foam-core