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Google's self-driving cars can read cyclists' hand signals
Google is working to expand the capabilities of its self-driving vehicle fleet, and according to its latest progress report (PDF), it's making strides in sharing the road with cyclists. One of the ways the folks in Mountain View are doing that is by using onboard sensors to gauge and interpret a cyclist's intent. "Our sensors can detect a cyclist's hand signals as an indication of an intention to make a turn or shift over," the company's June autonomous vehicle report reads. "Cyclists often make hand signals far in advance of a turn, and our software is designed to remember previous signals from a rider so it can better anticipate a rider's turn down the road."
Jaguar Land Rover's latest project uses in-car alerts to protect cyclists
Jaguar Land Rover has done quite a bit of work in automotive safety with its Virtual Windscreen project, but now, the company is looking to protect cyclists. Bike Sense, the automaker's newest R&D concept, uses a series of in-car alerts to warn the driver of an approaching cyclist or motorcyclist. Sensors on the outside of the car detect the biker's movement, and when they get close, a bicycle bell or motorcycle horn blasts from the speaker closest to their location. When someone is coming up from behind, an air cushion inside the seat "taps" the driver on the shoulder on the appropriate side. There's also a collection of LED lights on the window sills that change from yellow to red when the bike approaches, and their movement shows the path that person is going to take.
Cyclist GPS data could help cities plan safer routes
Strava has been using GPS coordinates to monitor progress for cyclists and runners for quite some time, and now it's looking to lend a hand to local governments. With its new effort, Strava Metro, the fitness-tracking outfit serves up data on 90 million bike routes and 24 million runs (at launch) to help planners examine how the two segments use public roads. Oregon's Department of Transportation has already signed on as the first customer, using the info for a year -- a deal that carried a $20,000 price tag. What's more, London, Glasgow, Orlando (Florida, US) and Alpine Shire (Victoria, Australia) have also opted in. "Right now, there's no data. We don't know where people ride bikes," Portland State University professor Jennifer Dill told the Wall Street Journal. "Just knowing where the cyclists are is a start." Urban planners in cities have long had access to metrics around automobile traffic, but tracking patterns for bike and runners hasn't been available up to this point.
Volvo revamps its pedestrian detection system to automatically brake for cyclists (video)
Cars that automatically stop when a pedestrian is in the way have been in Volvo's fleet for a while now, but the automaker has just unveiled an update to its existing tech that'll stomp on the brakes when cyclists are too close for comfort. Announced at this year's Geneva Motor Show, the revamped system detects how close objects are with a grille-mounted radar and then uses a high-def camera within an auto's rear-view mirror to discern whether it's barreling down on a pedestrian or a biker. When bicyclists swerve in front of an automobile heading in the same direction, the setup immediately alerts the driver and applies full brake power -- a world's first Volvo says. According to the Swedish manufacturer, all vehicles outfitted with the pedestrian detection will have the cyclist spotting technology baked in, and it'll show up in mid-May within the new Volvo V40, S60, V60, XC60, V70, XC70 and S80. Head past the break for a video of the feature in action.
Wahoo KICKR Power Trainer lets iPhone cyclists feel the simulated burn (video)
Wahoo Fitness' BlueSC cycling sensor is well and good for iPhone owners that always have fair weather and friendly roads to ride. For everyone else, there's the company's just-unveiled KICKR Power Trainer, a bike training system that uses a Bluetooth 4.0 link with Apple's device (or an ANT+ bike computer) to come as close as possible to the real thing. The KICKR can change resistance as soon as third-party iOS apps like Kinomap Trainer and TrainerRoad give the word, either arbitrarily for a routine or to replicate that on-asphalt feel at up to a 15 percent hill grade. Wahoo claims the super flywheel and wheel-off design improve the sensation of the virtual road and keep the measurements for both power and speed accurate over the long haul. If there's anything holding back indoor athletes, it's the launch. The KICKR will only land in US basements and living rooms come November, and while we haven't been quoted a price, we'd wager that it's much more likely to fall in line with the cost of a regular bike trainer than a sensor like the BlueSC.
Bluetooth SIG releases certifications for fitness devices aimed at runners and cyclists
Fitness gadgets are great, but you never quite know what you're going to get when it comes to calorie counts, or a reading of how many miles you've run. That could change, though, thanks to a set of standards the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) is adopting with regard to fitness devices. These two certifications, which apply to running and cycling gadgets, respectively, affect the way data (e.g., cadence, speed, distance) is transmitted to paired devices like smartphones, sports watches and cycling computers. As far as SIG is concerned, too, more standardization means OEMs will have an easier time bringing new products to market -- not that there's any current shortage of options to choose from.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: a locomotive that runs on hydrogen, honey detective and a 30 mph-capable hover bike
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. Inhabitat is always on the lookout for new and interesting innovations, but some of the things that flashed across our screens this week truly defy the rules of physics. Take, for example, the story of 51-year-old Chinese man Sun Jifa, who lost both of his arms in an explosion and built his own bionic hands out of scrap metal. Building functional prosthetic limbs is one thing, but doing it without the aid of fingers? That's downright mind-blowing. We were also pretty excited to hear that a California-based tech company has developed a working hover bike that travels up to 30 mph. It isn't quite ready for a high-speed chase in the forest a la Star Wars, but it still looks pretty cool. And in another amazing development, a team of Harvard researchers has figured out a way to store 70 billion books in a space the size of your thumbnail.
EcoXPower charges a smartphone, bicycle headlight and tail light with pedal power
Bicycle rigs for charging cellphones have lit up our radar before, but now the EcoXPower is being billed as the first device of its kind that can simultaneously juice up LED lights and a smartphone with the power of your pedaling. Packing a headlamp, a red tail light and a lithium-ion rechargeable battery, the contraption attaches to a bike's front wheel hub with the help of a universal mount. When clamped on, the apparatus' clutch engages between the velocipede's spokes so it can generate electricity. A USB adapter cable runs up the two-wheeler's fork to a water-resistant, touchscreen-friendly case that can house iPhones, Android handsets and "all major GPS devices" perched atop the handlebars. Cyclists yearning to charge their electronics with the dynamo can pick one up for $99.99. Roll past the break for the full press release.
Ben Heck cooks up proximity sensor for cyclists, still no substitute for keeping eyes open
Ben Heck's been busy -- again. In the latest episode of his bi-weekly show he puts his considerable brain power to work on cycle safety. He uses Parallax ping sensors connected to an Arduino to measure whether you're in any danger from nearby obstacles and traffic. The red and green LED indicators are hooked up to ambient light sensors so they don't blind you while riding at night -- looks like Mr. Heck's thought of everything. This week's episode also includes more secrets behind the prolific modder's Android APK-based baby seat. Check out both projects after the break.
Apple patent application details iPod / iPhone bike integration system
Apple patent applications can be a little out there sometimes, but this one makes so much sense we have to wonder why it's not a product already. Described as "Systems and Methods for Integrating a Portable Electronic Device with a Bicycle," the application details what basically amounts to Nike+ for bikes. That includes the ability to relay data from bike sensors to your iPhone or iPod, which you'd be able to view on the device itself or on an external display of some sort -- the application even goes so far as to mention the possibility of a heads-up display, although we wouldn't get our hopes up for that. What's more, the application also suggests that the system could communicate and share information with other nearby cyclists, and it would apparently include some fairly extensive GPS capabilities (on the iPhone, at least), including turn-by-turn directions to help you find a specific bike route, and maps complete with reviews from other cyclists.
SoundofMotion keeps cyclists safe, morphs phone into motorcycle
It may not be legal in most civilized nations to ride a Segway on the sidewalk, but for those still risking their lives on a two-wheeled machine, things are about to get a lot safer. SoundofMotion has developed a clever new warning system that turns your phone into what sounds like a roaring motorcycle, and not content with just playing a pre-recorded loop over and over, it's actually designed to rev up and down based on the speed and acceleration of your bicycle. The application will run on "any Bluetooth- and Java-capable phone," and it interacts with a "wireless BT sensor" that gets mounted on one of your wheels. Unsurprisingly, the device responds to the motion sensor and lets the carefree motorists around know you mean business when crossing an intersection. The app is currently sitting in beta, but the creators hope to have a final rendition ready to go before you make too many summer treks, but you better be willing to face total embarrassment (and have one loud speakerphone) to save your skin before picking this up. Click on through for a demonstration.[Via Slashphone]
