On a late August afternoon in 2017, Simon Park was a third-year mechanical engineering student and bicycle out of his sisterB次元官网网址檚 car.
He happened to be out front of the engineering building at the University of Victoria at the same time the fourth-year mechanical engineering students were Park had created the electric-assist motor, which he built on the forks from a toddlerB次元官网网址檚 bike frame, to assist his commute to and from his home in Saanich.
B次元官网网址淣o, IB次元官网网址檓 not part of the capstone project [exhibition],B次元官网网址� Park said at the time. B次元官网网址淢aybe next year.B次元官网网址�
Well, itB次元官网网址檚 next year.
Park continued to pursue the electric-assist bike motor, which he named , and in March the 21-year-old was one of three winners of the Open Innovation Challenge put on by the South Island Prosperity Project, netting a $15,000 investment in the development of the product.
Park also got the green light to offer his Caboost as a capstone project for a group of UVic mechanical engineering students this year. The Caboost Control Team showed off the new and improved Caboost at the capstone exhibition earlier this month.
Thanks in part to the Caboost, Park has been accepted for an eight-month internship at Tesla headquarters in Palo Alto, Calif., where heB次元官网网址檒l be moving in September.
Park and the Caboost team were able to establish a major advancement in the CaboostB次元官网网址檚 existence, creating what they call the B次元官网网址渟mart control system,B次元官网网址� which automatically pushes the bike depending on how the cyclist is riding.
B次元官网网址淭he smart control system has been the most significant development and is a huge step forward for us,B次元官网网址� Park said. B次元官网网址淯nlike the first prototype, this prototype does not have a manual hand throttle. ItB次元官网网址檚 a really intuitive system; it feels like youB次元官网网址檙e riding slightly downhill or have really strong legs. ItB次元官网网址檚 easy to ride and feels very safe.B次元官网网址�
Park credited SIPPB次元官网网址檚 investment as instrumental in the teamB次元官网网址檚 progress.
B次元官网网址淸SIPP] helped us make connections with the community and potential partners, and their mentorship and support are a huge help,B次元官网网址� Park said. B次元官网网址淭he winnings from the SIPP Open Innovation Challenge have enabled us to focus on the engineering and development without worrying so much about funding.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 no way we could have come this far in five months without them.B次元官网网址�
UVicB次元官网网址檚 Innovation Centre has also been supportive, Park said, helping the team with advice, making connections, and participating in the PitchIt and PlanIt competitions.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 still a lot of work to do, but weB次元官网网址檙e getting closer to finishing the design and hopefully bringing Caboost to market.B次元官网网址�
