This smart bike light allows riders to do what?

Answer: Report potholes and other road issues.

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • linkText
  • Email
Called Flare, this bike light was developed by product design student Jake Thompson from the University of Sussex. The light itself is water resistant and has three modes, full-beam (which produces 300 lumens for 2.5 hours) half-beam and flash. But it’s more than just a light source. Via a Bluetooth connection to their smartphone, riders can mark problem spots on the road as they encounter them with the push of a button.

There are three buttons for three different issues. The first is for surface problems like cracks or potholes, the second is for dangerous spots like narrow shoulders, and the third is for confusing or dangerous intersections. When the button is pressed, the corresponding app on their smartphone makes note of the location and problem category. At the end of their ride the user can review these notes, called flares, and add additional information. The flares are then added to a city map on a dedicated website, where other users and city officials can view them. The idea is to encourage the city to address the problem by getting riders to bring attention to it.

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • linkText
  • Email
Kate is a senior copy editor in Northern California. She holds a bachelor's degree in English with a minor in professional writing from the University of California, Davis.