VESC Glossary - All Terms explained

VESC Bible Newbie Guides (BETA)
1

Glossary

This glossary includes common terms and concepts related to Onewheel and VESC technology.

A

  • ADC: A type of electronic circuit component that converts analog signals to digital signals. You will find 2 of these used for your foot sensors, measuring the voltage. A low voltage (usually below 0.5 Volts) means it’s not engaged aka off, whereas a higher voltage (usually above 2.0 Volts but mostly close to the maximum, aka 3.3 Volts)
  • ATR (Adaptive Terrain Response): It is a software feature that dynamically adjusts the tilt angle of a board, like a Onewheel or electric skateboard, in response to changes in terrain. This means that as you ride, the board automatically lifts the tail when going downhill and the nose when going uphill. The goal of ATR is to maintain rider comfort and stability by compensating for the changing angle of the rider’s body relative to the ground.

B

  • Balance App #obsolete: In v5.3 and older we used to select the balance app. Since 6.0 we have packages so we no longer select an “app” in App Settings
  • Balance Package obsolete : An package of software settings and controls that controls the balance and stability of a Onewheel.
  • BMS: a device required to safely operate/charge your Lithium battery. There are Smart BMS which connect to the VESC Controller and Dumb BMS which don’t.

C

  • CANBUS (Controller Area Network Bus): A communication protocol that allows different electronic devices to communicate with each other. It’s used in various industries, including automotive and industrial automation. In VESC, CANBUS enables communication between the VESC controller and other components, such as a smart BMS, display screens, or other VESCs, creating a network of interconnected devices

  • Cutoffs: VESC motor controllers have lots of cutoff options used for safety in esk8/ebike applications, e.g. when temperature gets too high or voltage gets too low - For Onewheels cutoffs mean nosedives, so we always want to avoid cutoffs and configure tiltbacks instead to alert the user that something isn’t right

  • CannonCore: Onewheel motor made by Floatwheel, also has the same dimensions as a Hypercore but it has a hollow axle. Much more powerful than the Hypercore (probably similar to SuperFlux) and with a similar kv as the Hypercore

D

E

  • ERPM: it stands for effective RPM (rotations per minute) which is based on magnets rather than wheel rotations. For our use 1000 erpm translates to roughly 2 mph or ~3km/h

F

  • Float Control: iOS App to enable easy custom shaping for VESC boards.
  • Float Package: VESC Package for “one-wheeled skateboards” made by @NicoAleman . See Float Package for more information
  • Footpad: The platform on a Onewheel where the rider places their feet.
  • Field Weakening: a technique used to allow brushless motors to run faster - see How To: Field Weakening

G

  • Growler: A OW/VESC hardware with shorter rails and Pint-sized tire

H

  • Hypercore: The stock OW+/XR brushless DC motor with 750W of power.
  • Hall sensors: Electronic sensors that measure magnetic fields. They are commonly used in electric motors, including those used in Onewheels, to provide information about the motor’s position and speed.

I

  • IMU: An Inertial Measurement Unit, a device that measures a vehicle’s motion, orientation, and acceleration. In a VESC-powered Onewheel, the IMU plays a vital role in determining the board’s orientation and movement.

J

K

  • Kv: Motor Kv “provides a way to describe the relationship between the peak voltage and rotation speed in a brushless motor in a no-load condition”
    ** Hypercore: 14kv
    ** Superflux: 17kv
    ** Cannoncore: 13-15kv (still tbd, just based on Tony’s statements so far)

L

M

  • metr: A popular bluetooth module + app for ride tracking - see metr.at

N

  • Nose Hunting: A phenomenon where the nose of a Onewheel goes up or down unexpectedly. See the video below

tbc

O

P

  • Prowler: A continuation of the Growler setup when you use a Pint Rim instead of the stock XR one
  • Pushback: see Tiltback below

Q

R

S

  • Superflux: Motor made by Fungineers, it has the same dimensions as the Hypercore but is more powerful and has a higher kv than the Hypercore.

T

  • Tune Card: A preset of Float Package customizations to achieve a certain ride behaviour of a VESC board.
  • Tiltback: Movement of the nose to prevent the user not to push the board any further. Fully user-configurable. In the “VESC App > Float Package” the Tiltback can triggered by Duty Cycle, Voltage High/Low Ends. Note: even negative tiltback is possible, aka nose going down - ALWAYS test your tiltback setting at low-speed first (e.g. set 30% duty cycle as the trigger) to recognize how it feels

U

V

  • VESC: The Vedder Electronic Speed Controller, a type of open-source ESC commonly used in Onewheel customization.
  • VESC Express: It is a firmware designed to run on ESP32 microcontrollers, adding Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity to VESC controllers. This enables features like data logging, wireless configuration, and remote control capabilities. VESC Express enhances the functionality and user-friendliness of VESC systems, especially for advanced users who want more control and monitoring options.

W

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