Self-Balancing Scooter Firmware
Budget: £1,500 – £3,000 GBP
I have a new Segway-style scooter in development and need a seasoned embedded programmer to create the entire self-balancing (gyro/IMU) firmware that will ship on the production boards.
The scooter is meant for personal transportation, so reliability, safety and a polished riding feel are non-negotiable. Above all, the control loop must react instantly to rider input—acceleration, braking, tilt corrections—without hunting or lag. I will provide hardware access for bench testing as well as real-world ride data; you will transform that into a finely tuned PID (or equivalent) solution that keeps the deck level and feels natural underfoot.
Beyond the core balancing logic, I want a highly customizable interface layer: riders should be able to tweak parameters (speed limits, sensitivity, LED patterns, even future OTA updates) through an app or on-board display. Your code structure should make these settings easy to expose over UART, BLE or CAN—whatever proves most practical once we review the board’s available channels.
Deliverables I expect:
• Compiled firmware ready to flash and a clean, well-documented codebase (preferably C/C++ or Rust—but I’m open if you have a stronger case)
• A brief tuning guide so my technicians can recalibrate units coming off the line
• Verification logs or recorded scope traces showing stable balance and rapid response under typical load conditions
If you’ve shipped motion-control or rideable devices before, tell me. I’m ready to start as soon as we agree on the control architecture and milestones.
SELF BALANCING BRIEF (1)
This is a complete self-balancing mobility platform control system with:
Dual 1500W BLDC hub motors
60V 13.5Ah lithium battery system
Sensor fusion + balance control
Full joystick integration (44 directions + neutral)
Speed limiting with alarm at 20 km/h
Training mode (5 mph)
Standard mode (12 mph)
Odometer tracking
Phone app telemetry Modular dual redundancy (MDR concept)
PCB with full I/O support
We are essentially building a commercial-grade self-balancing wheelchair platform, which involves:
Real-time control theory
High-current motor control (3kW total)
Safety-critical firmware
App communication layer
Mode management
Speed-limiting logic with audible warnings
Redundancy architecture planning
That is a significantly larger engineering effort.
Realistic Project Breakdown
Phase 1 – Core Balance & Motor Control
IMU fusion
PID/LQR balancing
Dual 1500W torque control
Basic safety shutoff
Current limiting
Phase 2 – Joystick + Mode System
360° joystick vector mapping
Speed limiting profiles
Training & Standard mode
Overspeed alarm + controlled deceleration
Phase 3 – App & Telemetry Layer
UART/BLE communication structure
Speed, battery %, odometer
Mode switching
Fault reporting
Phase 4 – Safety & Redundancy Design
Fault detection
Sensor plausibility checks
Watchdog
Redundant input logic (if required)
Revised Full Project Cost
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The scooter is meant for personal transportation, so reliability, safety and a polished riding feel are non-negotiable. Above all, the control loop must react instantly to rider input—acceleration, braking, tilt corrections—without hunting or lag. I will provide hardware access for bench testing as well as real-world ride data; you will transform that into a finely tuned PID (or equivalent) solution that keeps the deck level and feels natural underfoot.
Beyond the core balancing logic, I want a highly customizable interface layer: riders should be able to tweak parameters (speed limits, sensitivity, LED patterns, even future OTA updates) through an app or on-board display. Your code structure should make these settings easy to expose over UART, BLE or CAN—whatever proves most practical once we review the board’s available channels.
Deliverables I expect:
• Compiled firmware ready to flash and a clean, well-documented codebase (preferably C/C++ or Rust—but I’m open if you have a stronger case)
• A brief tuning guide so my technicians can recalibrate units coming off the line
• Verification logs or recorded scope traces showing stable balance and rapid response under typical load conditions
If you’ve shipped motion-control or rideable devices before, tell me. I’m ready to start as soon as we agree on the control architecture and milestones.
SELF BALANCING BRIEF (1)
This is a complete self-balancing mobility platform control system with:
Dual 1500W BLDC hub motors
60V 13.5Ah lithium battery system
Sensor fusion + balance control
Full joystick integration (44 directions + neutral)
Speed limiting with alarm at 20 km/h
Training mode (5 mph)
Standard mode (12 mph)
Odometer tracking
Phone app telemetry Modular dual redundancy (MDR concept)
PCB with full I/O support
We are essentially building a commercial-grade self-balancing wheelchair platform, which involves:
Real-time control theory
High-current motor control (3kW total)
Safety-critical firmware
App communication layer
Mode management
Speed-limiting logic with audible warnings
Redundancy architecture planning
That is a significantly larger engineering effort.
Realistic Project Breakdown
Phase 1 – Core Balance & Motor Control
IMU fusion
PID/LQR balancing
Dual 1500W torque control
Basic safety shutoff
Current limiting
Phase 2 – Joystick + Mode System
360° joystick vector mapping
Speed limiting profiles
Training & Standard mode
Overspeed alarm + controlled deceleration
Phase 3 – App & Telemetry Layer
UART/BLE communication structure
Speed, battery %, odometer
Mode switching
Fault reporting
Phase 4 – Safety & Redundancy Design
Fault detection
Sensor plausibility checks
Watchdog
Redundant input logic (if required)
Revised Full Project Cost
Profile Image