Although automobiles have countless safety devices and technologies, there are relatively few for bicycles by comparison.
Chen lifts an arm in victory and signals right at the same time
Photo credit: James Dyson Foundation
That makes little sense when you look at global trends; bike ridership is set to rise in coming years with the growth of green initiatives. That shortcoming inspired London design student Michael Chen to come up with a concept for a jacket he calls the Reactiv.
Using an accelerometer to track movement, the high-tech jacket has LEDs on the back that changes colour depending on the cyclist's actions -- green for acceleration and red for braking, naturally. There are also LEDs in the arm sleeves, which flash amber when the cyclist lifts his or her arm up to signal a turn.
The design was this year's overall winner of the James Dyson Award -- yes, the Dyson of vacuum cleaner fame -- beating entrants from 14 other countries. So far, the Reactiv jacket is only a concept but Chen hopes to make it a reality soon.
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