Communications of the ACM
A Smart Wristband For Nocturnal Cyclists
A smart illuminating wristband developed by five doctoral students could make it safer for cyclists to ride at night in big cities.
Credit: Alain Herzog
The "Intelligent Blinker," a smart illuminating wristband developed by five doctoral students at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, could make it safer for cyclists to ride at night in big cities.
The bracelet is designed to flash when the rider reaches out to indicate a lane change. The device is equipped with a light-emitting diode (LED) and other electronics, including an accelerometer and a magnetometer, a type of compass that can detect the position of the user's arm. When the rider reaches out laterally, the sensors send data to the microcontroller, which directs the LED to engage.
"According to the habits of the rider, its possible to adjust the angle at which the LED starts flashing," says student team member Pietro Buccella.
Small solar panels have been connected to a battery to enable the device to run on solar energy, but it also includes a USB port for recharging with a computer.
The team now wants to reduce the device's size and energy consumption and add more sensors.
From Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne
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