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Switch on strap
Motor driver connected to motor
Switch on buckle

Vandalized streets and screeching motors were a constant presence growing up, prevalent even in my earliest memories. Living in Jakarta, motorcycles are the heartbeat of daily life, yet road safety still remains ambiguously terrifying. Driven by a desire to make a real difference, our team set out to create a smart helmet safety system designed to foster safer riding habits through technology. But, bringing this vision to life pushed us far beyond our comfort zones. After burning through multiple ideas, we developed a reliable system that verifies helmet tension and buckle status before wirelessly communicating with the motorcycle to control the ignition of the vehicle. If either one fails, then the vehicle will be forced to slow down.

This verification will occur prior to the journey. This is done through a switch that is connected to the buckle as well as the strap of the helmet. Whenever the rider fastens the buckle, a switch that is stationed at the side of it will close; sending a message to an ESP that is positioned inside the helmet. The same is done for the strap, as the rider pulls on it, an identical switch closes therefore sending a message to the same ESP. In addition, the ESP was specifically programmed by our team to detect whether both switches are closed. If only one is close while the other is open, our program identifies it as unsafe and will communicate with a variant ESP that is situated near a motor to decrease its speed. Alternatively, if both status passes then the motor will move normally allowing the rider to start its journey.

To clarify further, we utilized jumper wires to ease the process of attaching the needed materials, the geared motor and motor driver. Once all the components are connected, the variant ESP as mentioned previously conveys a signal to the motor driver attached to a motor regarding the verification check. Subsequently, the motor is linked with a small gear as well as the main wheel which spins without the requirement of a larger piece.

Diving into the uncertain world of Arduino and electronics was a steep learning curve, but through perseverance, we picked up on the basics and started working. Unfortunately, having to balance rigorous schoolwork with tight competition deadlines tested our time management, discipline, and prioritization as well. Ultimately, this project proved that innovation requires more than just technical knowledge- but rather, a focus on strong teamwork. By pooling our ideas and supporting one another through every hurdle, we turned a conceptual idea into a functional, meaningful solution. Not for one second that our team doubted a member’s capabilities as every sweat poured overcoming each obstacle taught us a lesson. Through the trust that blossomed in this project, we feel satisfied for finishing this project until the end and seeing it through.

In the following days, we hope to nurture SafeRide into a more plausible project that can be done in the near future by further evolving the prototype. For example, waterproof cables and connecting it to a real life motorcycle.