Multi-directional ball under bike by james bruton
James Bruton is back with another bike; this time, it comes with just one multi-directional ball that rolls the riders in any way they lean to. Building on an earlier two-ball model, the creator chops the rear ball to make way for a single-ball system. Around this sphere sit three omni wheels, each of which is connected to the frame of the vehicle and touches the red ball. Then, each omni wheel includes two rows of small rollers sitting inside the main wheel body. Every roller uses bearings, so the bike with multi-directional balls has a total of 216 bearings.
The design spreads the load through many moving points instead of one fixed contact to support the rider and the frame. The creator says that the small rollers use TPU tires, and inside each tire sits an aluminum core. This core connects to an axle, which then runs through bearings. For this model, James Bruton uses both 3D printed and metal parts to produce the components of his bike with a multi-directional ball: the aluminum supports the load of the single-wheel vehicle, while the 3D printed parts hold the axles in position.
all images courtesy of James Bruton
One-ball vehicle moves to the direction riders lean to
There are three brushless motors that drive James Bruton’s bike with a multi-directional ball. Each motor connects to one wheel using a belt, so the design removes extra pulley stages, creating a direct drive system between motor and wheel. The creator adds an aluminum extrusion to the frame before connecting the parts with bolts and brackets. This creates a modular structure, allowing the ball to sit at the center of this frame and then the rider above it. He installs the electronics in a central box, and there’s a controller that reads data from an inertial measurement unit.
This unit measures roll and pitch, which tells him how the system balances in two directions at once. The software uses PID control to adjust wheel speed. The power of the bike with a multi-directional ball by James Bruton comes from multiple battery packs, found at the lower part of the vehicle’s frame, and the rider can hold onto the two twist grips, which replace the handlebars. These adjust the balance angle, so when the rider leans in a direction, they move towards it. So far, James Bruton plans to continue developing his bike models after the one with the multi-directional ball. Perhaps in the future, the project will see additional balls floating the rider anywhere.
the creator chops the rear ball to make way for a single-ball system
riders fold their knees as they move on the bike
around this sphere sits three omni wheels, each of which connected to the frame of the vehicle
each omni wheel includes two rows of small rollers sitting inside the main wheel body
James Bruton uses both 3D printed and metal parts to produce the components of his bike
brushless motors drive the vehicle around
project info:
name: I built an Omni-Directional ONE-BALL Bike
creator: James Bruton | @xrobotsuk
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