Praise for Brighton student's road safety invention

1:30pm Thursday 29th November 2012 in News By Siobhan Ryan

Emily Brooke shows the light from her bicycle safety device Emily Brooke shows the light from her bicycle safety device

A revolutionary bike light invented by a University of Brighton graduate has been hailed a major breakthrough in tackling one of the biggest causes of cycling deaths.

Blaze projects a laser image of a bicycle from handlebars onto the road ahead, alerting motorists that a cyclist is approaching.

The light is expected to particularly benefit drivers preparing to turn left or right but whose blind spot means they can’t see the cyclist riding alongside them.

Sussex Police figures reveal that in the 12 months to September this year, two cyclists died and 100 were seriously injured following accidents on the county’s roads.

Studies show almost 80% of casualties are hit when their cycle is going straight ahead and a vehicle drives into them.

Emily Brooke came up with her safety device – similar to the idea of Batman’s symbol blazing across Gotham City – while studying product design at the university.

The invention, after two years of product development, was launched to the public this week.

Expert advice

She said: “The journey has been incredible and it is so exciting to see the concept as an actual working product – and that it will go some way to helping cyclists be more visible on our roads.”

Ms Brooke, who graduated last year, won a place on an entrepreneurial scholarship at Babson College, Massachusetts, after being nominated by Beepurple, the University of Brighton’s enterprise network.

She worked with Brighton and Hove City Council, Brighton and Hove Bus Company, road safety experts and driving psychologists to further develop the project.

Her course leader Richard Morris, the principal lecturer in the university’s school of computing, engineering and mathematics, said: “Product design students are very good at generating creative ideas aimed at solving difficult problems as part of their final year.

“It is a real pleasure to see the university working at its best to help them do this, and providing support across a range of subject areas such as engineering, design and business to turn these ideas into fully developed products.

“It takes great drive to do this so Emily is an inspiration for all budding student entrepreneurs.

“Blaze is a great product too, with the potential to save many lives, so we will continue to give Emily our best wishes and to support her endeavours.”

Talking point: To what extent do you think this will improve cycle safety?

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Comments(34)

divers69 says...
1:35pm Thu 29 Nov 12

A very interesting idea that shows creativity and promise. Some research on its effect on drivers would be well worth doing as anything that helps keep cyclists safe is to be welcomed.

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Indigatio says...
1:36pm Thu 29 Nov 12

I'm a cyclist. Open minded but highly sceptical.Time will tell.

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Algeria Touchshriek says...
1:56pm Thu 29 Nov 12

I await the day when a bedazzelled drivers thinks "what's that pretty green light on the road" and concentrates solely on that. Before running over the cyclists and spilling their brains out all over the A259.

I can not tell if the man in the above photo is wearing a bash hat but he is certainly not wearing a hi-viz vest that costs just a few pounds.

These will make the diffrence in being seen and if crashed in to survive, not some silly laser light.

Also did anybody else think of Del Boy and the contaminated Peckham Springs with the inventors glowing hand in the other photo?

Report this post »

bluemonday says...
1:59pm Thu 29 Nov 12

looks good,now just to convince the 80% of cyclists without any lights that this is the answer,and a battery strong enough,looks quite powerful

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Big Fido says...
2:27pm Thu 29 Nov 12

Blimey! 4 postings in and no really nasty anti-cyclist comment yet!

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Big Fido says...
2:29pm Thu 29 Nov 12

whoops - spoke too soon!

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ruberducker says...
2:41pm Thu 29 Nov 12

it should be made law,that all bike riders have lights on after dark,,if not then no legal right to blame if they are involved with another motorist...if i drive my car at night with no lights on and have an accident my insurance would rightfully refuse to pay out.
as this looney melon party are insistent on !"£$ing over the motorist in favour of cyclist at the cost of millions and an increase to our council tax,its about time the bike riders dig into there pockets,,,

Report this post »

Brightonscouse2 says...
2:56pm Thu 29 Nov 12

Algeria Touchshriek wrote:
I await the day when a bedazzelled drivers thinks "what's that pretty green light on the road" and concentrates solely on that. Before running over the cyclists and spilling their brains out all over the A259.

I can not tell if the man in the above photo is wearing a bash hat but he is certainly not wearing a hi-viz vest that costs just a few pounds.

These will make the diffrence in being seen and if crashed in to survive, not some silly laser light.

Also did anybody else think of Del Boy and the contaminated Peckham Springs with the inventors glowing hand in the other photo?
If you seriously can't see the big shiny light on the front of the bike, and need to rely on hi vis to make people visible. I suggest you a) get your eyesight tested, and b) pay more attention when driving.

Report this post »

Nick Brighton says...
3:04pm Thu 29 Nov 12

ruberducker wrote:
it should be made law,that all bike riders have lights on after dark,,if not then no legal right to blame if they are involved with another motorist...if i drive my car at night with no lights on and have an accident my insurance would rightfully refuse to pay out.
as this looney melon party are insistent on !"£$ing over the motorist in favour of cyclist at the cost of millions and an increase to our council tax,its about time the bike riders dig into there pockets,,,
I am a cyclist and a driver. I sympathise with ruberducker that there is a significant minority of cyclists who ride in the dark, wearing dark clothing and on bikes with no lights. It is the law that cyclists have to have working British Standard lights on their bikes after dark. I don't think that a right to blame the driver of a car for an accident will deter those who break the law. I do think that an immediate 24 hour confiscation of the bike, and a fine would deter most. We just need police cars with a bike rack on the roof to take the offending bikes.

Report this post »

Bonfyl says...
3:14pm Thu 29 Nov 12

How to make cyclists use it now? Make it cool. Now design an app to run it from a smart phone with a smart phone clip to go on the handlebars. Well done, Emily, and cyclists, don't wait for the app - it is pretty cool now!

Report this post »

brighton-breezy says...
3:14pm Thu 29 Nov 12

She is a fittie as well as clever ;-)

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Maxwell's Ghost says...
3:29pm Thu 29 Nov 12

The council should issue them to cyclists on the Lewes Road so we can make our own virtual new cycle lane instead of it wasting millions on creating a new one right next to the existing one....oh and ripping up a strip of Wild Park.

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Hove Actually says...
3:36pm Thu 29 Nov 12

Good / Bad Idea

Have seen these on Fork lift trucks, they have a light that projects a blue beam onto the floor as they drive round the warehouse.

The problem comes when the light hits a mirror or glass or wet puddle, you get a blinding reflection. Can you imagine one coming up on the nearside and reflecting into the nearside mirror which the driver of a car is looking into

Report this post »

Algeria Touchshriek says...
3:52pm Thu 29 Nov 12

Brightonscouse2 wrote:
Algeria Touchshriek wrote: I await the day when a bedazzelled drivers thinks "what's that pretty green light on the road" and concentrates solely on that. Before running over the cyclists and spilling their brains out all over the A259. I can not tell if the man in the above photo is wearing a bash hat but he is certainly not wearing a hi-viz vest that costs just a few pounds. These will make the diffrence in being seen and if crashed in to survive, not some silly laser light. Also did anybody else think of Del Boy and the contaminated Peckham Springs with the inventors glowing hand in the other photo?
If you seriously can't see the big shiny light on the front of the bike, and need to rely on hi vis to make people visible. I suggest you a) get your eyesight tested, and b) pay more attention when driving.
May i counteract that and say if you can't see a fully grown man of a shiney bike even at night then you dear sir is the one who needs glasses.

Hi-Vizes are manadatory in most transport-types places of work but are not law. Ergo, from their presence i can safely assume that there are necessary and make seeing people safer. Why therefore do they put reflective strip on police cars? If you can't see a big fat Ford Focus Estate with a wopping big blue light then you are blind. Butthey still have them.

Or are you just after an argument?

Report this post »

Sussex jim says...
4:02pm Thu 29 Nov 12

ruberducker wrote:
it should be made law,that all bike riders have lights on after dark,,if not then no legal right to blame if they are involved with another motorist...if i drive my car at night with no lights on and have an accident my insurance would rightfully refuse to pay out.
as this looney melon party are insistent on !"£$ing over the motorist in favour of cyclist at the cost of millions and an increase to our council tax,its about time the bike riders dig into there pockets,,,
It IS law, Rubberducker! A few years ago I drove into Brighton to collect my wife and her sister off a coach excursion that terminated by the pier at 9.00 pm.
I passed 11 cyclists along the Lewes Road; not one had lights.

Report this post »

wexler53 says...
4:16pm Thu 29 Nov 12

Good on her. At least Emily has tried to come up with something positive to enhance safety.
The problem comes with people though, and there lies the rub.
I often turn onto New Church Road early in the morning. Those cyclists using lights combined with HighViz I spot immediately at a considerable distance. Better for them, and better for me. Sadly, those riding without lights and in dark clothing are really difficult to spot.
It's the cyclist who is making this choice, and I know which is the sensible and correct one. Sadly, there are plenty who seriously lack common sense.
I wouldn't drive without my seat belt, without insurance, and without maintaining my car. When I cycle, I use a bike which is regularly maintained (still get punctures), have insurance through club membership, and wear a helmet and appropriate clothes.
If I can, why can't others? Stop moaning and be sensible.

Report this post »

bluemonday says...
4:22pm Thu 29 Nov 12

Nick Brighton wrote:
ruberducker wrote: it should be made law,that all bike riders have lights on after dark,,if not then no legal right to blame if they are involved with another motorist...if i drive my car at night with no lights on and have an accident my insurance would rightfully refuse to pay out. as this looney melon party are insistent on !"£$ing over the motorist in favour of cyclist at the cost of millions and an increase to our council tax,its about time the bike riders dig into there pockets,,,
I am a cyclist and a driver. I sympathise with ruberducker that there is a significant minority of cyclists who ride in the dark, wearing dark clothing and on bikes with no lights. It is the law that cyclists have to have working British Standard lights on their bikes after dark. I don't think that a right to blame the driver of a car for an accident will deter those who break the law. I do think that an immediate 24 hour confiscation of the bike, and a fine would deter most. We just need police cars with a bike rack on the roof to take the offending bikes.
sadly nick it's a significant majority that wear dark clothing and also have no lights,i'm a b+h bus driver who respects cyclists rights to space on the road(i know people won't believe me)but cyclists need to remember that at this time of year it gets dark early,put some lights on and wear some high vis clothing,costs afew pounds but could save an accident.

Report this post »

Hoarder12345444 says...
4:37pm Thu 29 Nov 12

Any light is good compared to most idiots have no lights in the dark I see around Brighton all the time!!

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Sussex jim says...
4:50pm Thu 29 Nov 12

Back to the original article- 80% of casualties occur when the cyclist is going straight and a vehicle drives into them- if a cyclist sees a motor vehicle ahead going slow or stationary, then it is a fair bet that it is about to turn, indicating or not.
As I driver, I now assume that all non -motor road users do not have the intelligence to hold a licence, and treat them accordingly.

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Fairfax Sakes says...
4:59pm Thu 29 Nov 12

Turn the hoses on the cyclists I say...

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mruno says...
6:43pm Thu 29 Nov 12

Makes no difference to some car drivers who turn left or right, they are subconscious of cycles (illuminated or not), beside, or behind them, even to the point where they zoom past you to beat the traffic lights, & cut you up, & this is in broad daylight.

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Bob_The_Ferret says...
7:34pm Thu 29 Nov 12

It is an interesting idea that has some merit. The potential issue of blinding oncoming traffic with a bright laser would need to be considered, and a way found to ensure the image was always projected downwards, not straight ahead.

Apart from the obvious and widespread problem of cyclists with no lights at all, one increasingly worrying trend is for excessively bright, blinking lights, aimed straight ahead, causing terrible dazzle and temporarily blinding oncoming drivers in the dark. These surely don't comply with the British Standard the law calls for.

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martyt says...
7:57pm Thu 29 Nov 12

divers69 wrote:
A very interesting idea that shows creativity and promise. Some research on its effect on drivers would be well worth doing as anything that helps keep cyclists safe is to be welcomed.
all cyclists should have to do a road test have there bike checked every year and pay some from of road tax and insurance

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Brightonlad86 says...
8:07pm Thu 29 Nov 12

Whilst I think it's a nice attempt to make cyclists safer. Not sure it would catch on though. I think wearing a hi-vis would be a viable alternative and wearing them (at least at night) should be law! It doesn't matter how observant a driver is, things can be missed, especially at night.

Tbh it's about doing everything you can to make YOURSELF safe. If you can't be bothered with your safety why should anyone else worry about you?

It's not that difficult or expensive to get a hi-vis. I work in construction and it is a requirement but you always hear people moaning about it. It's a silly piece of material that could save your life! What's the harm in wearing it?

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FatherTed11 says...
11:23pm Thu 29 Nov 12

Bonfyl wrote:
How to make cyclists use it now? Make it cool. Now design an app to run it from a smart phone with a smart phone clip to go on the handlebars. Well done, Emily, and cyclists, don't wait for the app - it is pretty cool now!
What on earth are you on about? An app and a smart phone to run a laser?

Just use a light.

Report this post »

Maxwell's Ghost says...
6:40am Fri 30 Nov 12

I wouldn't clip my smart phone to the front of my bike. Clearly you haven't cycled along the road at the bottom of south over street. I rekon the screen would be cracked in less than a minute.

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qm says...
7:39am Fri 30 Nov 12

Two other innovations regarding illumination can be found at the following links along with reviews.

http://www.londoncyc
list.co.uk/fibre-fla
re-bike-light-review
/
http://www.londoncyc
list.co.uk/laser-lan
e-courtesy-richardso
ns/

The LondonCyclist also has a newsletter which although London based is of interest to everyone everywhere, is free and excellent!!!
Subscribe!!!

Report this post »

qm says...
8:06am Fri 30 Nov 12

qm wrote:
Two other innovations regarding illumination can be found at the following links along with reviews.

http://www.londoncyc

list.co.uk/fibre-fla

re-bike-light-review

/
http://www.londoncyc

list.co.uk/laser-lan

e-courtesy-richardso

ns/

The LondonCyclist also has a newsletter which although London based is of interest to everyone everywhere, is free and excellent!!!
Subscribe!!!
Oh and:

http://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=_5xC7PI3d
yI

http://www.youtube.c
om/watch?feature=end
screen&v=irALoVjfxEQ
&NR=1

Report this post »

PaulOckenden says...
8:43am Fri 30 Nov 12

How's about if cyclists didn't undertake moving traffic? That would solve the problem, surely? Especially when the cars are indicating. And especially when it's obvious to just about everyone (except the cyclist) that the tin box is about to make a manoeuvre.

YES car drivers should look - there's no doubt about that. But a little bit of common sense from both parties would help.

As to the laser thingie, it seems like a good idea, as long as it doesn't dazzle in wet conditions.

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comanche762 says...
9:06am Fri 30 Nov 12

i got an even better idea for cycle safety , cycle on the cycle lanes instead of on the road ie the seafront , which causes drivers to swerve , lane change and cause safety issues for both cyclists and drivers , how about bike proficency tests to teach them the rules of the road like what a red light means or just tax them like road tax to help pay for the beautiful magnificent work of engineering like the shoreham rd cycle highway

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upsidedowntuctuc says...
9:25am Fri 30 Nov 12

It is highly dangerous to undertake and would support anything that makes cycles more visible.
Cyclist could help reduce accidents by using common sense like having hi viz vests, helmets and LIGHTS! .
However no lights, dark clothing at night plus ignoring red lights, ignoring stop signs, ignoring give way signs,traveling the wrong way along one way streets, weaving in and out of traffic and on and off pavements, undertaking, listening to music in headphones, using a mobile when riding are plain stupid and can be witnessed each and everyday in our city!

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Mr. Mann. says...
11:04am Fri 30 Nov 12

Good idea end of...would be good to make cyclists as visible as possible

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Smartbloke says...
5:30pm Fri 30 Nov 12

Hove Actually wrote:
Good / Bad Idea

Have seen these on Fork lift trucks, they have a light that projects a blue beam onto the floor as they drive round the warehouse.

The problem comes when the light hits a mirror or glass or wet puddle, you get a blinding reflection. Can you imagine one coming up on the nearside and reflecting into the nearside mirror which the driver of a car is looking into
A bit like, say, a car's headlights in the mirror.

Lovely to see the rabid ACS on a moan, moan, moan trip on something which is a GOOD idea...

Report this post »

qm says...
10:12pm Fri 30 Nov 12

Fairfax Sakes wrote:
Turn the hoses on the cyclists I say...
Twerp!

Report this post »

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