Inline skates designed for travel over short distances

Abstract

This thesis documents the design process of a new type of inline skate intended to be a viable form of transportation over short distances. Current inline skates are optimized for transportation over long distances but are not useful for travel over short distances because of the time required to put them on and the fact that they are cumbersome to carry. Through a survey and various prototypes, key characteristics have been identified that would make inline skates worth using for short commutes. Characteristics identified include the ability to fit over various types of footwear, the ability to put on at take off the skate quickly and the fold the skates for easy storage when not in use. A working prototype has been developed to demonstrate and verify the first two of these three characteristics. Users tested this prototype and provided feedback.