How the Blinkers system is making cycling safer

The addition of lights to bicycles is nothing new. From headlights that draw their power from the bike’s wheels to the integration of solar lighting, these devices have saved countless lives while adding some flair and originality to bikes across the nation.

But a European company has introduced a new product that aims to make bicycling even safer — and they’re doing so with the introduction of Blinkers.

Introducing the Blinkers System

Pioneered by Velohub — based out of Zurich, Switzerland — Blinkers is what it sounds like: a set of front-and rear-facing blinkers for the traditional pedal bicycle. But the developers use some next-gen technology to set this gadget apart from the others and put it at the head of its class.

Not only does it feature fully functional blinkers in the way of highly visible LED strips, but the system also includes a headlight for the front and a taillight for the back.

The headlight offers three different modes of operation, and the taillight uses a built-in accelerometer to automatically trigger the brake light when the vehicle is slowing down. Since it’s important bicyclists can execute turns safely, the lights on the Blinkers system protect them at all times.

But the centerpiece of technology in the Blinkers system is the laser projection device. The most innovative part of the entire setup is a semi-circle — laser-projected behind the bike — at night.

It makes the vehicle even more visible to passing motorists, pedestrians or other bicyclists. More importantly, it designates a clear safe zone that maintains strict boundaries.

For on-the- go power, the Blinkers system is rechargeable via micro USB, which is compatible with all current-gen laptops, desktops and many power adapters. The device includes a built-in LED screen, which briefly flashes with the unit’s remaining charge when it’s first activated. Rechargeable batteries in the current model last for approximately seven hours.

The system is also easy to install. All the mounts are magnetic, so it doesn’t require any tools or advanced mechanical knowledge. Velohub tried to make the Blinkers system as user-friendly as possible — and they succeeded at every turn.

Perhaps the biggest drawback of the Blinkers system is the cost. With a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of €199 — or just under $250 — the full system is aimed at serious biking enthusiasts and consumers who care about their health. Budget-minded consumers can pick up individual pieces of the Blinkers system, such as the front blinker, the rear blinker or the laser blinker, but it’s much more economical and affordable to purchase them all as a package.

Whether a bike is an essential form of daily transportation to and from work, or strictly a recreational vehicle, the Blinkers system can help cyclists reach their destinations safely and securely. When paired with the latest health and fitness apps or devices, bicyclists can stay safe while getting their daily exercise.

Who Is Velohub?

Despite their small size, Velohub is already making huge headlines for developing the Blinkers system.

The team, headed up by CEO Javier Fernandez de Alegria, only includes five other individuals: a head of sales, head of electronics, head of marketing, software engineer and head of direct sales. It might be a small group, but they have big goals — and they’re already on their way to achieving them.

Smart Technology for Cyclists

According to their website, Velohub’s primary purpose is to “make smart technology for cyclists.” They use cutting-edge technology to enrich the lives of bicyclists through added safety mechanisms. Velohub’s team is also quick to tout bicycling as a healthier, cheaper and cleaner alternative to modern automobiles. For more information on Velohub, or to purchase the Blinkers system, please visit their official website.

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How the Blinkers system is making cycling safer originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 5, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Enjoy some tunes while protecting your hearing with Plugfones

A few years ago, I noticed that some of the folks running the heavy equipment on our manufacturing floor at work were wearing what looked like a cross between company-issued earplugs and earbuds. Fast forward to a few weeks ago. I was talking to a buddy of mine who was wearing some of these things. He said, “Plugfones! They’re great! I can wear them out on the shop floor and they work as hearing protection, AND I can listed to music, podcasts—whatever I want—at the same time!” I investigated and found that Plugfones do indeed make several types of hybrid hearing protection/earbuds that have been independently tested and certified to meet various US, EU and Australian safety standards. Their Liberate 2.0 model (pictured) is priced at $99.99 and is a fully Bluetooth wireless system that is rechargeable and includes an in-line remote, different types of tips for best ear canal fit, a charge cable and case. Plugfones also has some wired models that are lower in price. I think these could work well not only for folks who work in areas where hearing protection is required, but for anyone who wants to block out ambient sound and just focus on whatever it is they want to listen to. Visit Plugfones.com for more info or to order.

Safely extinguish kitchen fires with a Kovenex blanket

Do you keep a fire extinguisher in your kitchen like safety experts recommend – and sometimes homeowner’s insurance policies require?  If you have one, do you know how to use it?  Or even how old it is?  If you have a kitchen grease fire and don’t aim the spray from the extinguisher correctly, you can spray burning oil all over the kitchen and yourself.  There are other ways to put out kitchen fires – baking soda and pot lids, for example – but you have to have them in easy reach to be effective.  If you mount the red nylon packaging of a Kovenex fire retardant blanket near the stove, you’ll be able to extinguish that fire before you could find the fire extinguisher and pull out the pin.

The Kovenex blanket is a 35″ x 32″ piece of high-performance fabric with inherent fire-resistant, heat-blocking, burn-protection, and tear-resistant properties.  Simply rip open the Velcro closure of the red mounting package, unfold the blanket, and place it over the fire to quickly put it out.  The fabric is not chemically treated and doesn’t emit toxic fumes.  It’s safe for contact with your skin and even protects your arms as you lay the fabric over the fire.  In addition to smothering a fire, you could wrap the Kovenex blanket around someone as they escape from a fire.

With fire extinguishers, you have to worry about their fill level, but it’s never a problem with the washable and reusable Kovenex blanket.  The Kovenex Home Safety Fire Blanket is $36.00 at The Grommet.

Tinitell is a wearable phone for kids that gives peace of mind to parents

Keeping track of kids isn’t always easy and when children are too young to be responsible for a phone or parents would rather not have them distracted with all sorts of features and games, Tinitell may be the answer. It is a simple wrist wearable that allows the child to call up to 12 contacts that have been preprogrammed into the phone by the admin app on the parent’s smartphone, and it allows the parent to track the child via GPS plus make calls to them as well. It comes in charcoal, indigo, aqua, and coral and is dirt and water resistant so children can explore their world with some freedom and parents can breathe easy knowing exactly where their kids are at all times. It is available at the Tinitell website for $126.00, but if you’d like to get a pre-Black Friday deal, you can get the charcoal colored phone for only $109.00 right now!

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Tinitell is a wearable phone for kids that gives peace of mind to parents originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 20, 2017 at 8:41 am.

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eClip will prevent parents from forgetting their child in the backseat

As sad as it is to day, it’s not uncommon to hear about a parent accidentally leaving their baby in the back seat of their car. You know how the story usually ends when something like this happens. No one wants to be part of a story like that. One possible solution is a product like eClip from Elepho.

Elepho is an established health product company who used Kickstarter to get funding for the eClip. eClip is a battery powered Bluetooth device that clips to the baby’s seatbelt or clothing and pairs with the parent’s smartphone.

If the parent gets out of the car and forgets the baby, their phone will sound an alarm when the parent walks a few feet away. It’s sort of like a Bluetooth tracker for your gadgets, although a baby is infinitely more valuable than a gadget. But that does make me wonder if anyone has thought of using a Bluetooth tracker on a baby before? Maybe I just thought of a genius new use for those little tracker tiles.

In addition to alerting you that the child is still in the car, eClip will also alert you if the temperature is too warm or too cold.

And for parents that do not use a smartphone, eClip also works with a key fob with a built in speaker that sounds an alarm.

You can read more about eClip at www.elepho.com/eclip. It will be priced around $80, but can save $20 on the final price by pre-ordering now with shipping due in December.

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eClip will prevent parents from forgetting their child in the backseat originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 24, 2017 at 4:55 pm.

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