SBIR Phase I: Developing a safer electric bicycle through a pedal-by-wire drivetrain, balance assist, and artificial intelligence

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project creates transformative electric bicycles, redefining urban mobility and enhancing environmental sustainability. Modern urban environments grapple with congested roads, car exhaust emissions, and pressing concerns about cyclist safety. This project introduces an electric bicycle equipped with innovative steering assistance and an all-electronic drivetrain. This design promises enhanced safety, user-friendliness, and versatility. Such a bicycle caters to a wide range of users, from children to seniors, especially those who might find cycling intimidating or challenging. The bicycle's advanced steering not only aids in maneuvering but also helps maintain balance. By electronically managing both braking and acceleration, the bicycle incorporates features of traction control, anti-lock brakes, and safeguards against over-the-handlebar crashes. These innovations are poised to decrease bicycling accidents, promote healthier lifestyles, mitigate environmental impacts, and stimulate domestic manufacturing. The end goal is a society where cycling is not just a sport or hobby, but a safer, greener mode of transport popular in daily life. This project sets forth an innovative approach: blending robotics-inspired sensing, actuation, and control to engineer a revolutionary electric bicycle for daily use. At its core, the bicycle incorporates an electric motor in each wheel, a steering motor to control balance, and a pedal generator to capture the rider's exerted energy. The completely electric drivetrain provides meticulous control over braking and acceleration, improving safety with traction control and anti-lock brakes. An active steering mechanism, augmented by balance sensors, helps the rider balance, a particular concern for older users. The primary technical objectives of this research are to develop a balance assist system that complements human riders, a user-friendly interface for the pedal generator, and a robust electronic drivetrain. Through comprehensive simulations, bench tests, and real-world bicycle prototype testing, the project seeks to validate the transformative potential and technical feasibility of a software-defined bicycle. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.