MIT's Copenhagen Wheel for your Bike debuted at COP15

[Ichingcarpenter]

Run time: 01:32 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7y3qIQu3Gc   Posted on YouTube: December 09, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: December 16, 2009 By DU Member: Ichingcarpenter Views on DU: 374

 
The clever folks at MIT have developed a smart wheel that could give bicycle riders a 21st century boost.

Unveiled Tuesday at the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change, MIT's new Copenhagen wheel is trying to do its part to help the environment by making bike riding easier and more enjoyable.

The wheel's battery can store energy as you step on the brakes and then return that power back to help you climb a hill or boost your speed. A sensor inside the hub measures your effort when you ride. As you pedal forward, the sensor tells the wheel's electric motor to give you a boost. When you hit the brakes, the motor regenerates, slowing you down and recharging the batteries. The goal behind this design is to encourage people to bike farther distances, relying less on gas-guzzling transportation.

Beyond giving you an energy boost, the wheel has other secrets in its bright red hub. Using sensors and a Bluetooth connection, the wheel can talk to an iPhone mounted on the handlebars. Through an iPhone app, you can check your speed, direction, and distance traveled. The wheel can also monitor traffic conditions and smog and even keep track of your bicycling buddies.
The Copenhagen wheel embeds all the required electronics inside the hub, so no other gadgets need to be added to the bike frame. A special spoking method devised by the team also lets you install the hub on any rim.
Any existing bike can be retrofitted with the wheel. In fact, the MIT team sees it as a plug-and play-device, one that any bike owner should be able to easily install as a back wheel. Costs $500+

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-10415648-76.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

[robo50]

1. Pretty cool, but

not enough detail and the web link to MIT's site is wrong, but others can Google it.

I want to know where and how I can buy it, what phone service I need to get all that, stuff like that.

Thanks for letting us know, tho.