Coming to your bicycle: wirelessbraking? (by Steve Almasy, CNN) is an article that effectively demonstrates the utilization of
wireless technology in everyday objects that aren’t normally associated with
the high-tech industry. A bicycle is safe, inexpensive, and mobile but not very
complicated. As such, it presents the perfect platform for testing wireless
technologies. After developing a brake system that didn’t use a cable as
traditional systems do, bicycle companies began to take notice.
Bicycles
aren’t something that are typically innovated upon. They’re quite simple pieces
of technology themselves – wheels, a steering wheel, a seat, and a cable
manipulated brake system make up the typical components of a bike. Bicycle
companies have an interest in something new and wireless braking technology
represents the future of bike brakes.
The
technology is not perfect but it is reliable. It’s sensitive to different
pressures and works much like any other short-range wireless device would. The
technology, however, is imperfect. As of now, the technology required to make
the brakes wireless is much heavier than the simple cable system bikes
traditionally use. This makes these types of bikes look unattractive to anyone
who wants a light bike.
The
dexterity of a bike that uses such advanced technology is something I would
also like to call into question. Can this type of bike be used in off-roading?
What if the device is covered in mud or makes contact with water? Is it more
likely to break in a crash?
The
article also mentioned that such technology can easily be put to use on other
technology. Wireless networks could operate faster. The technology used could
be applied to trains to communicate between the track and the train (but not as
a break system- that’s simply too dangerous).
The
most interesting part of this article is the idea that wireless technology can
be applied to things that most people wouldn’t think of. How many things could
be improved upon by using a wireless network? My guess is that we would live a
vastly different life if wireless technology were more prevalent – and it’s
becoming more so daily.
Ronnie,
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with what you have stated here. The wireless braking system that was created for bicycles is a very innovative product with many possibilities that may be explored using this technology. I too actually did my blog on this very same article and I actually found a few of your points quite interesting and didn’t even think of them while writing mine. The one in particular that I found very interesting was that of whether or not the wireless braking technology is whether proof. If this product were to come to the market it would have to appeal to the large number of riders who do off-road or mountain biking. From the looks of the device from pictures it does seem to have some sort of protective outer casing, though whether or not when caked with mud or enduring the intense beating that a bike receives doing this kind of riding it will last and continue to operate is a very good question to ask. If it cannot then I highly doubt this technology will make it in the industry, even with people who use bikes to commute through the city where the sensors will have to endure rain, sleet, and snow.