Bicycle helmets with lights that can signal left or right turns like a car may be on Hong Kong streets in the near future, thanks in part to a local student.
Jeff Chen Hao-ren, 23, came up with the smart bicycle helmet called Lumos, which is designed to improve the safety and conspicuity of cyclists riding after dark.
Using integrated LEDs on the back of the helmet, a cyclist can indicate left and right turns with a wireless remote control unit on the handlebars. The stop light on the helmet is automatically switched on when the bicycle brakes are applied. Chen got the idea when he was an exchange student in the US two years ago: “Riding bicycles on the road in Hong Kong is a lot more dangerous. In America, there are more bicycle riders on the road, but in Hong Kong, there isn’t a lot, so drivers will be less aware of them,” Chen said.