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For a nice visual and comprehensive overview of Drift Gear, check out the website at
Please feel free to follow the Drift Gear Facebook Page as well:
https://www.facebook.com/driftgear
Or the Google+ Page: google.com/+DriftgearInfohere
Let's Step Up the Speed.
Drift Gear is all about speed. The base technology has already
been developed. (Lithium-ion batteries, external gear
pumps, electric motors). Now the time has come to put it together in
a machine that works with you, giving blood boiling action. Inline
skating gives an unimaginably free and active feel. There are no handle
bars or steering wheel. You can jump off the road any time without
leaving a vehicle behind. Most importantly, you're standing. You're
standing and piercing the wind with force directly from your stride.
Drift Gear will allow skaters to increase the feeling of high speed
and power without taking away the human effort.
Hint: You can make a contribution of any amount you want and you do not have to select a reward. If you want to help out but can't contribute
anything, you actually can! Just share the campaign on Facebook,
Google+, or any way you want.
What is it, really?
The Drift Gear Boot
Introducing the Drift Gear Boot! An air-pressure-driven actuator
runs the back wheels of the left and right boots. The actuator
looks small but it can be very powerful because thick, steel
components can handle high pressure. An outer metallic shell gives it
a fabulous look like no other skate and the interior inflates to fit
your leg and foot very tightly. The ankle joint allows critical
flexibility for skating. There is a pressure input connector and an
electrical connector on the top of the boot. Both are used for
connecting the Drift Gear Power Pack.
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Don't worry about controls! The Drift Gear Control Gloves
eliminate the need for a cumbersome remote. Simply slide your thumb on
your point finger for precision speed control. An electrical connecter is
located by the wrist to be hooked up to the Power Pack. Three
additional switches on the back of each glove make it easy to control more functions. The glove is designed to be
very thin and lightweight.
Right Glove additional controls:
- Pressure to the right Boot. (on or off)
- Back lights for both boots. (on or off)
- Wheel Lock for both boots. (on or off)
Left Glove additional controls:
- Pressure to the left Boot. (on or off)
- Front lights for both boots (on or off)
- Maximum allowed speed/pressure to both Boots. (variable)
The Power Pack
The Drift Gear Power Pack is the Equipment Harness that holds all
the weight of Energy Banks (batteries) and a motor. A small computer
interprets input from both the Control Gloves and the Boots to
operate everything. Servos regulate a single source of pressure to
each Boot individually. The batteries can be charged by plugging in
an external device. The straps and equipment mounts are completely
adjustable.
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Drift Gear is intended to be highly modular so it's easily
configured to fit the user. The list below consists of the main modules. The
numbers in parentheses are the quantities of each that are required for a standard set of Drift
Gear.
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Drift Gear Boot (2) - Just the boot with no wheels or actuator.
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Brake Mount (1) - Holds the Brake Pad.
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Brake Pad (1) - The main brake on the back of one Boot.
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Control Glove (2) - Special gloves with interfaces.
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Drive Frame (2) - The frame for holding the wheels and actuator.
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Drive Hose (2) - Hydraulic hose from the Power Pack to the Boot.
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Electronics Cable (4) - Connects Control Gloves and Boots to the Power Pack.
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Energy Bank (2) - The lithium-ion battery back.
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Equipment Harness (1) - Straps and buckles of the Power Pack.
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Lamp (4) - LED lights for the front and back of the Boots.
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Mother Module (1) - The computer, motor, pump, and pressure regulators.
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Wheel (4) - Just a larger than average wheel
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Wheel Lock (2) - A set of components designed to fit in the Drive
Frame as a method to completely lock up the wheels, controllable from the
Control Gloves.
Developing the Gear
Hi, I'm Julian Erickson. Honestly, I'm the only one who has
developed Drift Gear. But hey, that's why I'm running this campaign.
Something this big needs more people involved for Drift Gear to
become a reality. Before I cover my plan, lets look at whats been
done so far.
Performance Calculations/Predictions
Using averaged out data on the properties of lithium-ion
batteries, I have been able to determine the volume and weight for
the energy storage target capacity. I selected an electric motor with
a high power-to-weight ratio. The supplier provided it's KV value
which indicates RPM output per volt supplied to the motor. This
allowed me to design a viable transmission pump ratio and the max
theoretical speed of Drift Gear. I included a reduced RPM due to load
in these predictions. The supplier also provides the power rating of
the motor which basically determines horsepower. Power is a rate at
which energy is transformed. This made it easy to calculate how long
Drift Gear will last at full throttle. Click here for more about performance.
Blueprints
Blueprints is what I call the computer aided design (CAD) files.
As mentioned in the video, I have produced a digital 3D
representation of each part and assembly specs for the whole
machine. These parts include shells, bearings, frames, rubber pads,
bolts, springs, axles, hooks, gears and so on. There are approximately
over 280 different part files. The assembly specs include over 1000
occurrences of these parts.
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Blueprint Example (one component of the drive pump)
Prototype
This was the fun part! An idea is just an idea until it's put to
the test. I called the prototype the Iron Roller because its made of
heavy metal and well... it rolls! As you can see, it looks nothing
like Drift Gear. But it does in a functional sense. Its made of a
hard outer shell with panels that pop open so the user can get their
feet inside. Only four large wheels support the boots. This thing is
a lot bulkier, heavier, and more crude than Drift Gear but it felt
totally fabulous when I tried it out! There was no money to build a
Power Pack or Control Gloves so as you can see in the video, I had a
power cable connected to me during the tests. To make up for that, I
have skated extensively with a backpack full of heavy books.
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A Spark in the Back of a Mind...
To Tangible, Speed-Demon Equipment
This campaign is all about Drift Gear, but to understand how Drift
Gear is going to become a reality, we need to talk about the over
arching plan. It’s hard to convince people (let alone businesses)
that something new will be a practical and profitable product. That’s
why I’m going to start a limited liability company called Build
Base to make sure Drift Gear gets manufactured and sold right. After
all, who could do a better job of handling a work of art than the
creator himself?
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Mission: All products must be built to stand the test of
time and perform admirably. The price will not be advertized as “low”
because that suggests low quality. Drift Gear is about strength and
speed, not low prices. The mission is to bring back the art of inline
skating on a whole new level.
Build Base will sell Drift Gear online so as many people as
possible will have access to the equipment. It will be easy for
customers to customize their order for the components and
configurations they desire.
Here is the simplified plan if the campaign succeeds:
Step One - Hire Professionals to Make a Plan: To
greatly increase chances of success, professionals with business
experience must perform market research, investigate safety and
business regulations, and write a business plan.
Step Two - Enlist Prototyping Services: Step Three needs
more concept representation. The models created here will not be
usable like the Iron Roller prototype. They will demonstrate critical
components such as the fluid transmission system.
Step Three - Obtain an Angel Investor(s): The market
research, business plan, and demonstration models will come into play
here. Investors need convincing that their money will turn a profit.
Why are investors needed if this campaign is a success? Further
development, prototyping, and production line set up will take a lot
more funding.
Step Four - Hire Design Services to Refine/Finalize Blueprints:
I'm the only one who has worked on the Drift Gear blueprints. Anyone
could have started this but only a team can finish it. Professionals
need to come together to increase the potential performance of Drift
Gear, eliminate design flaws, and plan the manufacturing process.
Step Five - Test, test, and retest! A fully functional
prototype built to match every aspect of design must be tested for
safety and performance. If there is a problem, then a new model will
be built and the process repeats until all specifications are
satisfied.
Step Six - Register Build Base as an LLC: This is when
Build Base will become a registered Limited Liability Company with
all required licenses and credentials.
Step Seven - Build the Build Base Website: The website will
be the customers portal to Drift Gear. Parts will be sold
individually and as full gear packages.
Step Eight - Hire Manufacturing Company for Mass Production:
The product will be built for the customer with different colors and
sizes.
Step Nine - Open the doors of business to customers! Get
ready to Drift!
All plans are subject to change.
Me and Why I'm Qualified
Hey, I'm an Inventor.
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When I say I'm an inventor, I'm using the word "inventor"
in a very broad sense. I'm an artist, designer, engineer, scientist,
or what ever you want to call me. Let's be honest, I'm just finishing
high school for a 2014 graduation. Business investors/supporters
won't typically trust a high school student with their money to
develop motorized skates and bring up a new business. That's exactly
what I'm trying to do. I've never been one to feel that I can't do
something because I'm not "there yet." As a result, I've
built autonomous robots, programmed video games, wrote short stories,
produced digital paintings, edited video, and designed machines with professional
grade CAD software. I was home schooled until I was fourteen
years old. This gave me plenty of time to build strong skills and
drives a typical kid never gets. Those years were full of
encouragement to explore what ever I wanted to.
My Skills and Accomplishments
- Java and C# Programmer (worked on games and micro controllers)
- CAD Modeler (designed a module for a hot air balloon)
- Robotics Engineer (Worked on FIRST Robotics Team 1501)
- Machine Shop Experience (lathe and mill)
- Digital Image Creation and Manipulation (The home page background on my website is a good example)
- Traveled to Europe as a Student Ambassador with People to People
I will have no problem handling the technical side of the Drift
Gear project. I've already ran into many problems with design work and
prototyping but I've solved all of them. New problems will rise,
including business issues but I will adapt and change my plans as needed
to get the job done.
Rewards!
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$5 - Photo Postcard of the Starters
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$24 - Drift Gear Poster
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$32 - Drift Gear T-shirt
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$42 - Drift Gear Wheels (a total of 4) + bearings
Much more awesome rewards are listed on the upper side of the page!
Risks and Challenges.
Above, I have addressed the plan for completing this project and why I'm qualified to do so. Now lets cover what can go wrong and how the problems will be handled.
If I can't find an investor (Step 3), I will keep searching for one, weather its private investors or a corporation. But if I can't find any, here is what I'll do: I'll try everything I can to get any already standing business to produce Drift Gear. At this point, I will have a professional business plan, patents, and the strong design files on hand to prove Drift Gear can turn a profit.
Unforeseen design flaws and production errors could arise. That's why the plan calls for third party design, engineering, and prototyping specialists to be hired.
This is a risk associated with any start up: If all fails, perks that contain Drift Gear, components, or discounts may never be delivered.