Biking at night can be hazardous for riders and drivers alike, and there is no shortage of blinky lights, reflectors and even wearable attire that lights up. We’ve seen gloves with LED lights, vests that illuminate and even a wired light that can wrap around the frame. Continue reading Glo Bars Light the Night
Tag: LED
Light Up Gloves
We’ve seen bike lights, light up vests and even helmets that can signal, but now we’ve seen the LED Gloves, designed by Irene Posch. Known as the “Early Winter Night Biking Gloves” these could be ideal for late winter and early spring as well. These feature five LEDs in each glove and are powered by just a single cell battery.
These light up when the wearer clenches their fist and can help give drivers a little more indication on which way the rider is turning. It can help make a ride home at night a little safer.
Irene Posch
[Via Sociable: Bike safely with these LED gloves]
Pin Lights the Night
Camping in the backyard means there is likely no shortage of light, but real camping out in the wilds probably means that when the sun goes down and the camp fire goes out things can be a bit dark. For those not familiar with their location this can be a bit dangerous in the night – such as when answering nature’s call.
But Pin Light, which was designed by Jung Su, Kim Dong Hwan, Yoon Ji Soo and Yoon Jae Sun and won a RedDot design concept award, is a simple concept that will help light the way at night. Essentially the Pin Light is tent stakes with built-in LED lights. As with the type of LED lights that are used to provide some illumination around a garden these are juiced up via the solar panels. While still in development these Pin Lights might make sure a trip to relieve one’s self doesn’t result in a trip over a tent line.
[Via RedDot: Red Dot Winners]
Nightfire Flashlight Blasts Away
Dubbed the Nightfire, this incredibly small flashlight from River Rock Designs is just slightly longer than its battery and let it blasts away with 100 lumens. And impressively it is powered by just a single AAA battery.
The key to this is the LED light, which offers effective power project to over 50 yards, and the ability to light up a 30×30-foot room. It has a one hour run time, which really isn’t bad for the battery and it has rubber O-rings to help make it water resistant. For $29.99 it can certainly cast a whole lot of light.
Defender Light Needs No Defender
There are parts of a bike that can be stolen easily and those that require tools. Bicycle light usually fall into the former category, which is a shame as these are meant to keep riders safe. Now commuters can look to the Defender, a bike light that looks tough and is quite tough for a would-be thief to remove. The aluminum clamp, as well as the battery pack require Allen keys, so this won’t stop a determined parts-pilferer but it could deter those quick grab and run crooks.
The Defender, which looks much the cylinder of a revolver (we’re sure not everyone will love that aspect of it) with six ultra-bright LEDs that are powered by three AA batteries. The light reportedly offers somewhere between 40 and 60 lumens and can run for 50 hours in steady illumination or about 100 in flashing mode. Video after the jump
LED Jacket to Light the Way
It is hard not to think of the Robert Redford movie The Electric Horseman when seeing the Sporty Supaheroe cycling jacket, which features 64 integrated RGB LEDs and a stretchable and very wearable circuit board. The LED array can light up the way and display a variety of patterns.
This jacket, which is a project underway from the Utope Project reportedly works with an “acceleration sensor” and gyroscope to track the wearer’s movement, and even interact and respond according. If a rider slows down the lights can signal in red to indicate braking, while other movement can indicate turns and direction. For the rider the lights can also indicate an incoming phone call via an alert system.
The jacket is still very much in the developmental stage, but maybe it could change the way bike lights cast some illumination and how they are seen.
Utope Project Official Website
[Via Gizmag: Sporty Supaheroe cycle jacket boasts “intelligent” sensors and dynamic LEDs]
Toy Fair Preview: Digital Skateboard
We don’t normally think of the American International Toy Fair, which is held every February in New York City, as being a destination for fitness products; the truth is that many toys at least get kids up and going. And one new board that might get the gadget loving kids of today off the couch is the Radiate Skateboard from Rockboard, which features 48 LED lights on the underside of the deck. The lights are fully rechargeable and the board comes with power adapters.
In addition to perking interest these lights could provide a little safety too so riders can be seen even as the street lights come on, helping kits get home safely. The Rockboard Radiate Skateboard will be at this month’s Toy Fair, and will reportedly be available this spring for around $100. Rock on!
GammaTech RT10C Gives New Meaning to “Fully Rugged”
Designed for industrial applications, the GammaTech RT10C fully rugged computer could be one for those who need a solid machine for globetrotting adventures. This lightweight computer is built to Military 810G standards and IP65 rated for dust and water protection. With its sealed design it is a tablet PC that is drop-proof, spill-proof, shock-proof and truly watertight.
It features a touch-screen 10.2-inch wide display with LED backlight – meaning it can be used even if shade isn’t always an option. It is powered by an Intel Core i7-620UE mobile processor and offers integrated HD graphics, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support. For security it features TPM 1.2 fingerprint recognition.
The RT10C offers as many connections as it might take to get to the middle of nowhere, including two USB 2.0 ports, an Ethernet port, PCMCIA slot, two mini card slots, CompactFlash slot and VGA port. An optional vehicle or office docking station includes four USB 2.0 ports, an Ethernet port, Serial port, and VGA port. Battery life is rated at five hours of usage with its nine-cell Smart lithium-ion battery. Pricing to be announced, but can you really put a price on a machine that might just live up to be indestructible?
Outdoor Retailer Show: Self-Adjusting Headlamp
There have been several products that allow wearers to cast a little illumination on the path ahead, and at the recent Outdoor Retailer Show the NAO was one that turned heads – and still cast the light where it needed to go. The soon-to-be-released NAO headlamp from Petzl features an integrated light sensor that is mounted near the LEDs on the front. It reportedly analyzes ambient light and then “instantly and automatically” adjusts the light-beam output to suit the conditions. We call this a bright idea indeed!
[Via Gearjunkie: Intelligent Illumination? Headlamp ‘Self-Adjusts’ its Beam]
Sprint Through the Night with Sprinter Headlamp
Whilst creatures of the night such as vampires can see in the dark, those not of the undead are (dare we say) blind as bat after nightfall. We’ve noted many products that help shine the way, and another option is the “Sprinter Headlamp” from Black Diamond. This is an LED light that is worn as a headband and offers 75 lumens of light.
But unlike other lighted headbands this one also includes a red rear blinky light to let those behind see you as well! After all, you wouldn’t only want to be seen by the vampires!
Black Diamond Official Website
[Via GearJunkie: ‘Sprinter’ Headlamp Made for Runners of the Night]
GoMotion Belt Brings the Light
Carrying on our theme of bringing light to these days of darkness, we make note of the GoMotion LiteBelt, which provides a 100 lumen CREE LED light mounted at waist level. This hands free light system offers three levels of beam intensity, can be adjusted from flood to spotlight and offers adjustable beam angle. There is also two rear LED tail-lights along with reflective trim so you can see your way and be seen!
LED Lite Up the Night For Biking
Riding a bike at night has numerous hazards, namely that fact that drivers can’t see them. But now a start up from Utah father and son team Rick and Brandon Smith might add some light to the night. LED by Lite essentially consists of four strips of silicone-encased LED bulbs, where two mount to the front fork and two to the rear. Following the tradition of car lights it is meant for white in the front and red in the back, but unlike car lights these can be seen from 360 degrees.
All four strips are waterproof and are designed to be removed and reinstalled in just seconds thanks to the QAD (Quickly Attaching and Detaching) System. The lights are powered by a BlackBox12-volt lithium-ion battery pack, which can be charged with a wall adapter or from a computer via a micro USB cord.
How Are You Fixed for Blades, Light and Whistle?
When off in the wilds there is always one more thing you could use, but each “thing” means additional weight plus the chances that something will be lost, forgotten or misplaced. But Adventure Medical Kits of Oakland, California has a nifty three-in-one survival tool that is blade, light and whistle. The Core Lite features a short steel blade that is just over two-inches in length, and can be used for “notching and grooving branches, plus a small single LED light. It won’t replace any big flashlight, but the bluish light help offer a little illumination on things. Continue reading How Are You Fixed for Blades, Light and Whistle?