Bike Belt

Votes: 5
Views: 4722
Transportation

Problem:
Riding a bicycle with motorized traffic presents a safety issue. Cyclists are often hard to see and their intentions are not easily interpreted by vehicle drivers. Cycling at night is an additional challenge, as most cyclists are not prepared with the proper equipment for visibility.

Solution:The object of the Light Belt is to make the cyclist more visible to surrounding traffic. The innovative Light Belt comprises of a center mounted stop light and side mounted directional lights. Just wear the Light Belt around your waist or chest and get on your bike. The Light Belt is hybrid powered by AA batteries and solar power.

How It Works:
The Light Belt is made from a flexible circuit board which is over molded with a flexible rubber strap. The strap can be adjusted with Velcro fastener ends. The circuit incorporates an arrangement of red LEDs for the stop indicator light. An arrangement of yellow LEDs are positioned on the left and right sides to indicate turning signals. An accelerometer chip detects the orientation of the belt, making it fool-proof to put on. Power is provided with two AA rechargeable batteries, in addition with integrated solar cells that recharge the batteries in daylight, or when the belt is removed and placed under a light source.

How To Use It:
Simply strap on the Light Belt over your waist or chest. Use the Velcro straps to fit it properly. Make sure the Red stop light is aligned with the center of your back. The belt can be worn in any orientation as the accelerometer detects the orientation and adjusts for the proper positioning of the left and right indicator lights.

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  • ABOUT THE ENTRANT

  • Name:
    Steve Roumeliotis
  • Type of entry:
    individual
  • Profession:
    Engineer/Designer
  • Number of times previously entering contest:
    2
  • Steve's favorite design and analysis tools:
    Wildfire, Solidworks, Alibre Design, pencil and paper
  • For managing CAD data Steve's company uses:
    None
  • Steve's hobbies and activities:
    Running, karate, spending time with my family
  • Steve is inspired by:
    Making a difference with a new design. Rather than make just another product to replace another one, but actually offer a real solution.
  • Software used for this entry:
    ProE, Photoshop
  • Patent status:
    none