Jun 29, 2015 | By Simon
Although many cyclists may think that they can spot road hazards with enough time to stop before them, more often than not this isn’t the case. Especially with an increase of smartphones as navigational tools and even pedestrian use of smartphones that may make them ignorant to bicycle traffic activity, there are more hazards than ever in existence today.
As we start to see an evolution of smart cars that feature a number of connected sensors and even their own wifi connections for assisting drivers, it’s only natural that we’re also starting to see a new evolution of ‘smart’ bicycles that are capable of assisting us, too. While many of the concepts we have seen are merely just explorations into what’s possible using existing technologies rather than products that have actually been produced, the developments have been looking extremely promising.
Now, a new device from Pesaro, Italy is bringing some of those smart technologies into a portable solution that can be strapped to any existing bicycle - rather than some of the futuristic (and likely very expensive) concepts that we have been seeing.
Similar to the driver assistance systems found within modern cars, the Byxee, which was created by Italian AI specialist Riccardo Ricci, aims to warn riders when moving objects or hazardous objects enter its field of view to ultimately help prevent an accident from occurring.
The handlebar-mounted device, which is the result of multiple 3D printed iterations over many months, incorporates a video camera and a microprocessor. A custom algorithm is able to detect shadows and contrast differences caused by irregularities on normal daylight road conditions. Similar to driver assistance systems, if the software determines that an oncoming object may be a hazard, (in this case, anything that measures more than 3 inches/76 mm) the cyclist is alerted via an audio alert. This process of scanning the road in front of the bicycle happens hundreds of times per second at distances of up to 80 feet (25 m) - meaning that the alerts are highly-responsive to any number of potential hazards ranging from pedestrians to cars and flying objects to potholes.
Like many other modern hardware devices, the Byzee was brought to life thanks to the low cost of 3D printing. The design team behind the Byxee, which features those from a number of different backgrounds and industries, have previously developed smart technologies for car brands. According to the team, the Byxee is the result of over two years of research and development that covered every angle including technology, design and of course, functionality.
To produce the 3D printed models, the design team used a Kentstrapper Volta 3D printer - a well-known Italian brand that makes FDM 3D printers.
As for what’s next for the Byxee team, there is still nearly a month to go in their campaign and as of press time, they’ve managed to raise nearly $20,000 in just under two weeks. For those interested in purchasing their own Byxee, the team is selling the off the first production run for $139 apiece with a planned retail price of $249 after the campaign is over.
Posted in 3D Printing Applications
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