Industrial - Bachelor
Cruise is a pair of smart gloves designed for electric skateboard riders, enabling clear communication through natural gestures like waving, pointing, and side signalling. With a focus on purpose, familiarity, ease of use, and safety, Cruise enhances rider visibility and connection, creating a more intuitive and secure riding experience.
With the rapid growth of micromobility in Australia, and the deployment of devices such as the electric skateboard it is becoming more common to see both non-fatal and fatal accidents occur to riders and pedestrians. There has been an approximate 150,000 emergency room visits worldwide due to these battery powered devices which is an alarming statistics due to the small population who actually partake in electric skateboarding.
This is especially a concern for public environments due to the ever present, lack of regulation around electric skateboarding causing grey areas to remain. This impacts riding behaviour, how the activity is perceived, and how different situations are handled between riders and other people within the environment.
Initially through benchmarking it was revealed that between other forms of micromobility and electric skateboarding there was a gap in the market for effective solutions that provided any form of safety or visibility benefits. For e-bikes in particular there are a range of products which positively influence riding behaviour and allow riding to become safer for all individuals. A prominent example identified was Lumos, who specialise in LED equipped products like helmets, attachable LED’s, and mountable LED bike signals.
Research also included a survey gaining 30 responses and two industry expert interviews both concluding that accidents most commonly occur due to unaware road users and pedestrians, rider fault, or a lack of visibility around the rider.
There has been over 100,000 emergency room visits worldwide due to electric skateboarding accidents.
National library of medicine, 2025
90% of experienced riders say they have experienced at least one accident involving their electric skateboard and a pedestrian.
Survey findings
I think every board should come with at least some visibility equipment.
Survey participant, electric skateboarder
I wish we could communicate with other road users and pedestrians without being too intrusive while still staying visibile.
Survey participant, Electric Skateboarder
For more in-depth analysis and findings, refer to the provided research report linked below.
Derived from the research, the following are the areas and key criteria the solution had to meet:
Key areas to explore:
– Informing and assisting the rider
– Communicating to the public
– Infrastructure changes
Key criteria:
– Seamless integration into electric skateboarding setups and routines
– Easy to use in complex riding environments
– Friendly and spatially aware features
– Enhance communication
– Improved safety
– Increased connection between users and pedestrians
– Minimise risky behaviour
– Adapt to riding behaviour and habits
The five potential solutions designed based off the identified criteria are shown below. Aspects from the gesture wrist bands and communicative gloves were used in combination and developed further to create the most suitable solution that addresses the lack of safety around electric skateboarding.
This concept targets:
Communicating to the public/pedestrians
Informing and assisting the rider
Link to research:
Skateboarders have limited devices that allow them to communicate their intentions or to remain visible around pedestrians.
How it solves the issue:
Offers an intuitive way of communicating rider intentions through gesturing. This removes the need to press buttons or hold a new device.
Gesturing actions can simulate familiarity around what is being communicated for pedestrians and the operator.
This concept targets:
Communicating to the public/pedestrians
Informing and assisting the rider
Link to research:
E-Skateboarding lacks adaptable and easy to use equipment that increases visibility and communication between the rider and pedestrians.
How it solves the issue:
Device offers ease of use through the familiarity of delivering hand gestures like waving, pointing, or positioning hand in a certain way.
It allows skateboard riders to easily convey their intentions when using shared spaces.
This concept targets:
Informing and assisting the rider
Infrastructure changes
Link to research:
E-Skateboard related accidents are rapidly increasing in Australia and there are limited infrastructure based solutions that assist the riders during times of need or emergency.
How it solves the issue:
The solution provides a point of contact for all e-skateboard riders needing a place to rest, recharge, or for in times of emergency after an accident. Riders can easily contact emergency services through the device.
The post is also a symbol for safety providing light in the dark and a way for riders to know where safe zones are.
This concept targets:
Communicating to the public
Infrastructure changes
Link to research:
Current infrastructure around busy shared spaces lacks adequate technology or tools that assist in communicating to pedestrians and informing them of ways to be more aware of skateboarding activity.
How it solves the issue:
The informative signage can be integrated in a range of busy areas allowing easy communication to all pedestrians.
The use of the paired skateboarder tab allows all signs to operate quickly and deploy the messages seamlessly. Pedestrians can stay well informed before they are creating an unsafe environment for the skateboarder.
This concept targets:
Informing and assisting the rider
Link to research:
E-Skateboarding involves a range of elements to consider while riding, particularly observing surroundings, controlling the board, and maintaining balance. A combination of factors piled together can contribute to unsafe riding.
How it solves the issue:
Provides a comfortable, familiar feeling device that considers ease of use in high paced environments requiring many elements to be recognised. Users can operate their skateboard with their hands and the familiarity of gloves.
Gloves are one of the most commonly worn pieces of skateboarding equipment making the adjustment seamless in user setups. Operating the skateboard is comfortable and minimises user error with the safe operating controls.
The Cruise Gesture Gloves are a response to the emergence of electric skateboarding accidents across the globe. They are designed to advance communication on the roads and create a safer environment for all people involved. Utilising familiarity through gesturing, riders are able to comfortably communicate their intentions with purpose and an ease of use. Features of user friendliness, and interaction also contribute to the enjoyment and idea of awareness around the device, while customisation and flexibility offers coverage to a broad range of users allowing the lowest and highest percentile individuals to experience safety in the same way. Ultimately, this ensures that safety is prioritised throughout all shared spaces and active transport environments empowering people to partake in electric skateboarding.
By pressing the activation button on the side of the interface the device will activate. After pressing and holding the button the device will wirelessly connect to the electric skateboard. Doing this will allow all users to have a visual read when braking, this is highlighted by the red braking light on the interface.
Upon connecting the gloves, users will also have access to digital interface features. Skateboard speed, as well as the glove and skateboard battery life. This can be interacted with using a gentle glove friendly swipe across the screen. The transition between pages can be visualised by the dots on the screen.
By raising the hand and gesturing a wave the gesture sensors will trigger the LED panel signalling to surrounding people that the rider is there. Upon waving a short sound is played to signal to unaware people of the riders whereabouts, thus allowing them to turn around and see the rider waving.
By extending the desired finger and gesturing a pointing action also triggers the LED strips along the fingers allowing riders to communicate precisely.
Directional signalling can be done in a number of ways but most commonly this would be used to signal the direction the rider wishes to ride to. Dropping the arm to waist height or above the head and straightening the hand in the intended direction will trigger all LED’s to activate and formulate a directional LED signalling pattern.
The Cruise exploded view and bill of materials showcases all eleven components that make up the products technology. Off the shelf parts consist of two gesture sensors, two PCB’s, and six LED tabs, while the hard parts are comprised of the interface compartment, and screen, LED Panel, and cover, as well as the LED finger tabs. With the total cost to manufacture being $110.48, Cruise will be produced on a small pilot run level of roughly 5,000 units.
Cruise is also built off the foundation of a highly flexible and comfortable glove design consisting of five key elements: the first inner glove layer is made of a flexible nylon material allowing users to easily slide the glove over their hand, while the second outer layer made of polyester provides protection and sturdiness in all skating environments. Additionally, the synthetic mesh patches are designed to allow for breathability, and the glove grip and padding is there for extra protection from accidents, and also to provide comfort to the wearer.
The range in glove sizes for both men and women also make Cruise highly adaptable and inclusive to the smallest and largest percentile users. Cruise prioritises customisation and adaptable sizes upon purchase giving users full control over what they desire.
Renders of the technology used in the Cruise gloves setup.
Physical prototype images showcasing the final model.
Cruise is every electric skateboarders next step to enhancing communication on the roads. By prioritising familiarity, safety, and purpose during use, riders can enjoy a positive riding experience at all times while maintaining clear connection between all other road users and pedestrians. To increase safety on the roads and reduce future accidents it’s time to let Cruise light your way!
Cruise: Built with purpose, made to light the way.
Cruise
Discover the full design process by reviewing the Design Development Record (DDR) provided below:
Riley is a motivated industrial designer with knowledge in both the ID and urban planning spaces. He aims to combine his skills to create meaningful solutions that make a difference to the world. A hardworking and charismatic individual, Riley is driven to learn and is excited to apply his skills to new challenges.