Heart-Smart E-Cycle: where technology meets health

A smart e-cycle, designed by a group of final-year B.Tech students from the Mechanical Engineering Department of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Hamirpur, aims to combine battery power with traditional pedalling to reduce the physical strain on the rider.

This cycle consists of three riding modes, i.e., Cycle Mode (pedalling), Full Battery Mode (entirely battery power), and Hybrid Mode (both pedalling and battery power).

The heart rate monitoring system (Heart Beat Centre) can be either strapped to the rider’s wrist or mounted on the e-cycle’s handle, which continuously monitors the rider’s heart rate, sending signals to an Arduino device.

The cycle activates the battery when the rider’s heart rate exceeds 100 beats per minute. Once the heart rate drops below 100 beats per minute, the battery deactivates, allowing the rider to resume manual pedalling.

Once fully charged, the e-cycle gets powered for up to three hours and enables speeds of up to 25 km per hour.

“Our smart e-cycle not only offers a convenient means of transportation but also encourages riders to maintain a healthy heart rate. By automatically switching to battery power when the rider’s heart rate gets too high, we ensure that cycling remains a safe and enjoyable activity for everyone,” one of the team members said.