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Posted by Andrew Shea | 15 Dec 2009
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Comments (2)
SENSEable City researchers from MIT unveiled the Copenhagen Wheel today, a high-tech hybrid bicycle that is far different from anything you rode as a kid. The bike's large, red hub is laced with sensors that speak to your smart phone through a Bluetooth connection. The simple device lets you know where you are, how far you have traveled, which direction your facing, facts about air pollution and personal fitness information. The bike also stores energy when you brake and lets you release it when you need it. The Copenhagen Wheel incentivizes your bike riding by counting your "Green Miles," which the researchers liken to frequent flyer miles. Watch this video to see the bike in action and visit MIT's website for the full story.
Comments
Its a nice package for ideas, especially with that notable big red rear hub. Aside from the "facts about air pollution and personal fitness information", there isn't anything in the SENSEable part that isn't being done better and probably cheaper right now, using the ANT protocol. Granted ANT devices aren't talking to the iPhone yet, but pro roadbike teams like Garmin/Slipstream have been using PowerTap rear hubs (power output, speed, cadence) talking to Garmin handlebar-mounted GPS units, to provide more data than even pro cyclists could use. MIT could be clearer about the story they are trying to tell with this bike.
As for KERS - being scientists, MIT can produce some data on the amount of hard braking necessary to produce enough KERS pedaling energy to, say, ride from Kendall Sq over the Longfellow Bridge and then up to Gov't Center, right? F-1 cars use it, sure; it works because they have a car going 180mph trying to stop in 200 feet. The carbon brake discs on F-1 cars glow with the heat generated; KERS recaptures some of that energy. You don't have those forces in a bicycle.
Sure, a big red dot on your bike may look cute. However, I can't really think of a good reason for why this is so big or it's purpose. Given todays technologies available this is very excessive, bulky and somewhat irresponsible. Maybe a bigger question is, why does so much design like this get so much praise in the press? At this point in time we should be more critical of what we praise and have good reasons for why. Granted, MIT students set the bar really high for science and design but this one is taking advantage of their good name.
Maybe I'm missing something but unless the goal was to produce a large, bulky, heavy and wasteful object for a small group of cyclists (who care about these features and own a 'smart'phone), this falls short in a lot of ways. The intent is respectable and there are some good features though. I just wish it was "designed" better. Although my iPhone may not be able to do everything this does, it can do most of these things and would not require the need for any additional hardware.