See.Sense. makes other bike lights look dumb
Meet the environment-sensing bike light that's bright in more ways than one
A new bike light developed by Belfast-based engineer Philip McAleese has landed on Kickstarter, and it’s looking to raise £12,000 to bring it to the masses. But why does it deserve your hard-earned cash?
Well for one thing, See.Sense. packs in a multitude of sensors which measure orientation, motion and light, responding to different situations automatically.
For example, if it thinks that you’re pulling out of a junction, based on your cadence and your acceleration, it’ll flash faster and brighter to help increase your visibility.
what a bright idea
“It can detect if you suddenly stop peddling or start peddling faster,” says MacAleese. “If you’re approaching a roundabout, the first thing you do is pause. The See.Sense. will recognise the side-to-side movement you make when peddling has stopped, and that you’re decelerating.
“It’ll then recognise the road surface change as you approach the roundabout, and that you’re leaning as you ride around it.” Based on patterns from this data – which McAleese mapped out with the assistance of 12 test riders – it can understand numerous scenarios and adapt its behaviour accordingly.
One function that’s not been publicised elsewhere is crash recognition: if you come to an abrupt stop with a shock, the See.Sense. lights will override their power management functions and flash like crazy to increase the chances of being seen.
See.Sense. uses LEDs for maximum brightness (150 lumens for the front, 90 lumens for the rear) and incorporates Fresnel lens elements (as used in lighthouses) to cast a wide beam for increased visibility.
Couple all this with its weatherproofing and USB rechargeability and you’ve got yourself a very smart light indeed.
The front and rear lights can be yours from Kickstarter for £36 and £35 respectively, or you can pay extra for even brighter ‘Intense’ versions if you desire.
Esat Dedezade
Contributor 
