Evaluation of Human Body Kinematics While Riding Electric Kick Scooter

The recent popularity of electric kick scooters, as affordable, ecofriendly, and lightweight vehicles, places them on the spotlight of urban mobility. The upright riding position, along with the vehicle’s low mass, necessitates a thorough understanding of the entire system, including human motion analysis. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the impact of some electric kick scooter and rider characteristics on the rider kinematics in a real driving scenario. Fourteen healthy young participants are recruited for the experimental campaign. The on-road tests consist of driving on seven speed bumps at two different constant speeds. During the tests, the angular motion of selected human body segments and the pitch motion of the electric kick scooter are monitored: these magnitudes are used to conduct a statistical analysis focusing on the influence of vehicle speed and rider’s gender, mass, and forward foot. Overall, results suggest that the dynamics around the medio-lateral axis of both the vehicle and the human body is influenced by the riding speed, the gender, and the mass. Moreover, a symmetrical foot position on the deck promotes greater rider stability.