This week, at the COP15 Climate Change Conference, a group of MIT students introduced the Copenhagen Wheel, which turns any bike you already own into an “electric bike with regeneration and real-time environmental sensing capabilities.” The Copenhagen Wheel harvests energy when you brake and stores it for when you need a boost – going uphill, say.
Boston’s not the most bike-friendly city, both from a crazy driver and a theft aspect. The Copenhagen Wheel has sensors that collect data on congestion, air and noise pollution and road conditions. You can access that information via a bluetooth-enabled smart phone for readouts on-the-go.
“The Wheel also has a smart lock: if somebody tries to steal it, it goes into a mode where the brake regenerates the maximum amount of power, and sends you a text message. So in the worst case scenario the thief will have charged your batteries before you get back your bike.”
This would of course be a boon for cities like Copenhagen, who are trying to get 1/2 of all residents to commute by bike. But I expect Boston could see an increase in cyclists with a tool like the Copenhagen Wheel.
What do you think? Do you ride a bike to work? Would you be more apt to with the Copenhagen Wheel?
(via inhabitat)
