Project Overview

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers hosts the Human Powered Vehicle Challenge every year. Human-powered transport is often the only available transport for underdeveloped parts of the world. Traveling to work and buying groceries are general tasks for people in these regions. The Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University - Florida State University College of Engineering's Team 512 produces a means of transport for the challenge that is sustainable and useful for every day. The team develops T-Bone with engineering design principles in mind. To solve this problem our team split the design into four parts (drivetrain, steering, frame, safety). The team explores different ways the design choices apply to the challenge and global impact. Through analysis, the design choices for T-Bone are as follows. The drivetrain gearing ratios help the rider power through hills and reach high speeds. The rider uses direct steering handlebars for simplicity while maneuvering around obstacles and turns. Disk brakes on the front wheels also help the rider stop quicker and maneuver around corners. Using low carbon steel for material, the frame mimics a recline-seating trike to lessen drag on the rider. Testing the strength of our frame using computer-aided design shows how safe T-Bone is during crashes. Space is readily available on the frame to hold personal belongings of the rider. The roll protection, which needs a continuous hoop over the rider, provides protection for rollovers. The team tests the design to meet targets for the challenge and real-world applications. The final integration of the four parts on T-Bone carries out a sustainable design for everyday use. The cost for using human-powered transport is cheap and maintainable. Giving this research and design to people of underdeveloped regions can help some of their hardships in life.