2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

From Kick to Current: Engineering a Smart E-Scooter with High School Students (Resource Exchange)

Presented at Pre-College Engineering Education Curriculum and Resource Exchange

This resource details a hands-on project for students in grades 9-12, ideal for informal learning settings. Students convert a kick scooter into a customizable E-Scooter by performing mechanical and electrical retrofitting of hardware. They will also develop a Micro:bit-based “bike computer” to track speed and distance. This system communicates wirelessly with an LED display on the rider’s helmet and a handlebar display used for turn signals and real-time trip feedback. The project serves as an engaging capstone activity for a curriculum focused on sustainable transportation, integrating multiple engineering disciplines.

Authors

Alexander Michael Perhay [biography]

Alexander Perhay is an undergraduate student at Illinois State University studying Engineering and Technology, and Computer Science. He is a student worker with SUPERCHARGE under the NSF grant.
Chance William Tyler Illinois State University [biography]

Chance Tyler is a student at Illinois state university and a student worker for the NSF project super charged.
Jeritt Williams http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5117-8915 Illinois State University [biography]

Jeritt Williams is an assistant professor of Engineering Technology at Illinois State University, where he teaches applied industrial automation and robotics.
Allison Antink-Meyer http://orcid.org/https://0000-0001-8969-1263 University of Missouri - St. Louis [biography]

Allison Antink-Meyer is the E Desmond Lee Endowed Professor of Science Education at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Dr. Matt Aldeman http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0482-9794 Illinois State University [biography]

Matthew Aldeman serves as the founding Associate Dean of the ISU College of Engineering, where he leads the first year engineering program and the General Engineering undergraduate major. Prior to the College of Engineering, Aldeman served as an Associate Professor in the ISU Department of Technology, where he taught in the Sustainable & Renewable Energy and Engineering Technology programs and served as program coordinator for the Sustainable & Renewable Energy program. Matt joined the Technology department faculty after working at the ISU Center for Renewable Energy for five years. Before coming to ISU, he worked at General Electric as a wind project site manager at the Grand Ridge and Rail Splitter wind projects in central Illinois. Matt’s experience also includes service in the U.S. Navy as a nuclear propulsion officer, leader of the Reactor Electrical division on the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis, and Gunnery Officer on the destroyer USS O'Bannon. Matt is an honors graduate of the U.S. Naval Nuclear Power School and holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Northwestern University, a Master of Engineering Management from Old Dominion University, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology.
Dr. Jin Ho Jo [biography]

Dr. Jin Ho Jo is a Professor of Technology at Illinois State University, teaching in the Sustainable and Renewable Energy program. Dr. Jo also leads the Sustainable Energy Consortium at the university. Dr. Jo is an honors graduate of Purdue University, where he earned a B.S. in Building Construction Management. He earned his M.S. in Urban Planning from Columbia University, where he investigated critical environmental justice issues in New York City. His 2010 Ph.D. from Arizona State University was the nation’s first in sustainability. His research, which has been widely published, focuses on renewable energy systems and sustainable building strategies to reduce the negative impacts of urbanization.

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