University of Brighton design students makes biking safer with BLAZE projection system
June 13, 2011 by Katie Gatto 
(PhysOrg.com) -- Emily Brooke, a design student at the University of Brighton, may just be the best friend that a biker has ever had. Anyone who has tried to ride a bike on crowded city streets knows how much of a challenge it can be to get in and out of traffic unscathed will be grateful for her new invention. Known only as BLAZE the handlebar mounted system. The system projects a laser image onto the road in front of the bike, alerting near by drivers that there is a cycle in the lane in situations where the driver may not have otherwise been aware of the presence of a bike rider. Hopefully, this early warning system will prevent drivers from changing into lanes with a bike in them.
"Eighty per cent of cycle accidents occur when bicycles travel straight ahead and a vehicle maneuvers into them," Ms. Brooke, told reporters. "The most common contributory factor is 'failed to look properly' on the part of a vehicle driver. The evidence shows the bike simply is not seen on city streets."
The system, which Ms. Brook developed in consultation with Brighton & Hove City Council, the Brighton & Hove Bus Company and driving psychologists projects the sharrow symbol in a green light bright enough to be seen in full daylight. For those of you not familiar with it the sharrow symbol is the sign for a shared lane. The system can be mounted to pedal bikes, scooters and motorcycles.
This design has already won its inventor a paid course at Babson College in Massachusetts, where she can continue to develop BLAZE. No word yet on when BLAZE will be on sale.
More information: http://www.brighto … lyBrooke.php
© 2010 PhysOrg.com
-
From lemons to lemonade: Reaction uses carbon dioxide to make carbon-based semiconductor,
32 comments
-
Thioridazine kills cancer stem cells in human while avoiding toxic side-effects of conventional cancer treatments,
3 comments
-
SpaceX private rocket blasts off for space station (Update),
42 comments
-
Climate scientists say they have solved riddle of rising sea,
31 comments
-
SpaceX capsule has 'new car' smell, astronauts say (Update),
2 comments
-
Need a rigid insulation material???
10 hours ago
-
magnets or EMF in car bumpers to protect from fender bender
May 26, 2012
-
length of wire in a coil of known dimensions?
May 25, 2012
-
India Engineering Powerhouse
May 25, 2012
-
electromagnet core dereference between hard and soft iron
May 25, 2012
-
Measuring water pressure in an open tank
May 24, 2012
- More from Physics Forums - General Engineering
More news stories
Browser wars flare in mobile space
The browser wars are heating up again, but this time the fight is for dominance of the mobile Internet.
3 hours ago |
5 / 5 (1) |
2
Probability of contamination from severe nuclear reactor accidents is higher than expected: study
Catastrophic nuclear accidents such as the core meltdowns in Chernobyl and Fukushima are more likely to happen than previously assumed. Based on the operating hours of all civil nuclear reactors and the number ...
Technology / Energy & Green Tech
May 22, 2012 |
3.6 / 5 (21) |
56
|
SpotterRF debuts Radar Backpack Kit (w/ Video)
(Phys.org) -- SpotterRF has announced a special radar backpack kit designed to enhance situational awareness for soldiers on the ground. The company says its special radar is designed for warfighters as part ...
Technology / Hi Tech & Innovation
May 26, 2012 |
5 / 5 (5) |
12
|
HyperSolar shows dirty water no barrier to power world
(Phys.org) -- The Santa Barbara, California, company, HyperSolar, is set to transparently share the ups and downs of its research experiences toward the company’s ultimate vision, successfully producing ...
Technology / Energy & Green Tech
May 24, 2012 |
4.8 / 5 (15) |
17
|
Tesla to launch electric sedan in US on June 22
Tesla Motors said Tuesday it would begin deliveries of "the world's first premium electric sedan" on June 22, slightly ahead of schedule.
Technology / Energy & Green Tech
May 22, 2012 |
4.5 / 5 (11) |
18
Nvidia trumpets Tegra 3 phone design wins for 2012
(Phys.org) -- Nvidia’s competitive war paint has a name, Tegra 3. On the heels of Nvidia announcements about lowering costs of its Tegra 3 processors and Nvidia-enabled tablets running Android Ice Cream ...
Scientist: Evolution debate will soon be history
(AP) -- Richard Leakey predicts skepticism over evolution will soon be history. Not that the avowed atheist has any doubts himself.
Dell tablet leak: 10.1-inch display, two-battery choice
(Phys.org) -- Headline after headline talks about vendors’ tablets in the wings as likely number-one contenders for the iPad. Such claims have justifiably been taken with a grain of salt, considering ...
Keep food safety in mind this memorial day weekend
(HealthDay) -- Picnics, parades and cookouts are as much a part of Memorial Day weekend as tributes to the United States' war veterans.
Family history of Alzheimer's affects functional connectivity
(HealthDay) -- Cognitively normal individuals with a family history of late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) may display lower resting state functional connectivity in the default mode network (DMN) of the brain, ...
Social welfare cuts ultimately come with heavy price, researchers say
(Phys.org) -- Slashing government funding for Medicaid, food stamps and other programs that serve the poor – while politically popular with some lawmakers and many conservatives – may do more harm ...
Jun 13, 2011
Rank: 1 / 5 (2)
Jun 13, 2011
Rank: not rated yet
Jun 13, 2011
Rank: not rated yet
Interesting idea, but it won't work.
Jun 13, 2011
Rank: not rated yet
Jun 13, 2011
Rank: not rated yet
I imagine it is a push-button type thing that you only use when needed. Not always-on. Kind of like "Hi - I am in this lane you are about to change into..."
Can't see it working any other way.
Haven't seen the specs though.
Jun 14, 2011
Rank: not rated yet
As for protection of eyesight: The system is aimed downwards. If you're not smaller than 1 meter in height and standing right next to it then that shouldn't be a problem. Even for children this should be safe.
Jun 14, 2011
Rank: not rated yet
Which requires that driver pays attention which is kind of the whole point of this safety device. You really needed to read the article! Personally i think this is a good idea as i know from personall experience just how unobservant drivers can be despite me wearing the right reflective clothing and the bright blinking lights to allert drivers to me being there. My only cncern is just how bright is the projected image during 'average' daylight and even during a sunny and bright day?
Other than that i applaud any attempts to make biking safer and so should you.