The goal of this project will be to develop an intelligent blind-zone alert and detection system that allow cyclists to more safely integrate with automobile road traffic. We plan to prototype this system by instrumenting a set of commuter bicycles with sensors, DSRC communication radios and indicators embedded in the bicycle handlebars and in the rider’s helmet. Sensors like those used in adaptive cruise control (ultrasound, radar, microwave) will localize and predict dangerous trajectories from nearby vehicles. The V2V communication sub-system, in conjunction with GPS, can be used to allow the bicycle to coordinate with existing V2V enabled vehicles to act as a long-range alert mechanism. We ultimately envision a system where automobiles and bicycles exchange their position and direction data such that both parties are alerted of potentially hazardous proximities. By sharing GPS route information, the system can even alert cyclists of vehicles that might make sudden turns at intersections without signaling. These types of accidents account for almost one third of cycling injuries. Using vehicle-to-infrastructure communication, cyclists can also be alerted if they are about to run through a red light or are going the wrong way down a one-way street.

1. Safe-Cyclist Project (Night-Rider)
Anthony Rowe
Assistant Research Professor
Electrical and Computer Engineering Department
Carnegie Mellon University

2. Is cycling safe?
• Yes and No
• 677 Killed in 2011 (32,367 by car)
– 2.17 per million riders (1.10 by car)
– 72% Urban
– 33% at Intersections
– 53% during evening commute (4pm-12am)
– Average age for deaths 43
• Est. 48,000 Injured in 2011
– Average age for injury 32
– Many not reported
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3. Lots of activity in this space…
“Gadgets to Boost Bike Safety” - NYT
Hovding Airbag
SMART sensor helmet
Helios Bars
BLAZE Headlight

4. How can technology help?
• Crowd-Source Safe Routes
• Hazardous Zone Detection
– Pot hole, stressful roads, user labels
• Collision Avoidance
• Smart Lighting
– Adaptive and reactive
• Auto 911 for accidents
• Traffic Law Notification
• Video Accident Logging
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5. Hardware Overview
Necessary
Desirable
Wishful
Motor
Laser
Projection
Hub: Smartphone, IMU,
GPS, BLE
Battery
Power / Cadence
Tail Lights
Rumble Bar
Speakers
Front Video
Rear Video
Radar, FLIR
optical flow,
Wind Sensor
Speed
IMU
Heart Rate Monitor (Body Worn)

6. Target Solutions
• Smartphone PnP Architecture
• Vehicle Proximity Detection
• Reactive Lighting
• Connected Helmet
• Rumble Bars
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7. Existing Bike Peripherals
Bluetooth Strain Gauge
power meter + cadence Heart Rate Monitor
Smartphone MountsTire Pressure Monitor

8. Smartphone PnP Architecture
Smartphone
PubSub
Camera
Accelerometer
DSRC
Rumbler
Bars
Headlight
Tail light
Helmet Audio
LED Mirror
GPS
Plugin
Plugin
Plugin
Plugin
Plugin
Plugin
Dictionary
Sensors ActuatorsLogging

9. Vehicle Proximity Detection
• Previous attempts include:
– Ultrasound, RADAR, LIDAR, cameras, …
• DSRC + Differential GPS
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Arada LocoMate ME
Bluetooth, DSRC, GPS
RTKLib + Radio PMUs

10. Reactive Lighting
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• Connected Head / Tail light
• Change color / brightness / tempo
– Acceleration
– Proximity
– Environmental Conditions

11. Connected Helmet
• IMU tracks head motion
– Is the rider paying attention?
– Have they looked back recently?
• Binaural alerts from speakers
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IMU
Speakers
Electronics Pkg

12. Rumble Bar
• Virtual rumble strip inserts
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13. What about the bike?
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Faraday Electric Bike Rideshare Commuter Bike

14. Questions / comments?
Team
Connor Brem, Computer Science (Junior)
Spencer Barton, ECE (Junior)
Chris Palmer, ECE (Research Programmer)
Oliver Shih, ECE (Ph.D.)
Ali Momeni, Art Department (Assistant Prof.)
Bruno Sinopoli, ECE Department (Associate Prof.)
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