SmartHalo Adds Smartphone-Powered Turn-By-Turn Directions To Your Bicycle
A little-known company called CycleLabs has dreamed up a new navigation device for your bicycle, and it’s already blown well past the initial pledge goal of $50,000 with 28 days to go. The SmartHalo sits on your handlebars and gives you turn-by-turn directions to your destination by display simple signals on a circular display. After seeing the device guide bicyclists down city streets in the KickStarter video, it’s hard to imagine jumping onto a bike without one.
The SmartHalo attaches permanently to your handlebars and connects to your phone, which is what you’ll use to choose a destination. Once that’s done, you can put your phone in your pocket and let SmartHalo handle the rest. Rather than display a map, the device has a ring of lights that appear to signal which turn you should take: slight turn, hard turn, or U-turn. The center of the ring has lights that can alert you to text messages and voice calls. You can also receive notifications for weather alerts.
Of course, the SmarHalo also tracks fitness-related stats as you go, recording time and distance traveled, your route, average speed, calories burned, and elevation. The device records that information automatically, which means there’s no button pressing necessary.
Although turn-by-turn navigation is the SmartHalo’s reason for being, it has some other interesting features packed in. There’s a light on the front that turns on automatically when it gets dark, and the SmartHalo sounds an alarm if someone tries to make off with your bike. (It recognizes you by your smartphone when you walk into Bluetooth range.) On top of that, the app remembers where you parked your bike and can show your bike on a map if you forget where you left it.
CycleLabs plans to have SmarHalo to Kickstarter backers by May, 2016. Sadly, the early pledges sold out fast, which means you’re left with some of the pricier pledge options. Still, the device is worth a look. Hopefully the CybleLabs team is as successful with production as it has been with creating the prototypes.
The SmartHalo attaches permanently to your handlebars and connects to your phone, which is what you’ll use to choose a destination. Once that’s done, you can put your phone in your pocket and let SmartHalo handle the rest. Rather than display a map, the device has a ring of lights that appear to signal which turn you should take: slight turn, hard turn, or U-turn. The center of the ring has lights that can alert you to text messages and voice calls. You can also receive notifications for weather alerts.
Of course, the SmarHalo also tracks fitness-related stats as you go, recording time and distance traveled, your route, average speed, calories burned, and elevation. The device records that information automatically, which means there’s no button pressing necessary.
Although turn-by-turn navigation is the SmartHalo’s reason for being, it has some other interesting features packed in. There’s a light on the front that turns on automatically when it gets dark, and the SmartHalo sounds an alarm if someone tries to make off with your bike. (It recognizes you by your smartphone when you walk into Bluetooth range.) On top of that, the app remembers where you parked your bike and can show your bike on a map if you forget where you left it.
CycleLabs plans to have SmarHalo to Kickstarter backers by May, 2016. Sadly, the early pledges sold out fast, which means you’re left with some of the pricier pledge options. Still, the device is worth a look. Hopefully the CybleLabs team is as successful with production as it has been with creating the prototypes.
