The Copenhagen Wheel: Bicycle Wheel With KERS F1 Technology
Geschreven op 14-1-2011 - Erik van Erne. Geplaatst in Duurzaam, Vervoer en OV
A team of students from MIT’s SENSEable Cities Lab have won the American round of the 2010 James Dyson Award for inventing the Copenhagen Wheel. This simple contraption transforms a regular peddle bicycle into a hybrid electric bike.
The Copenhagen Wheel (PDF) employs a method used in Formula 1 race cars known has Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS). Normally when a car brakes, energy is created in the form of heat on the rotors and pads. In vehicles with KERS, that energy is captured and reused by the motor during acceleration. The Copenhagen Wheel works on the same principal. Energy from the braking is captured an electric motor, which generates a current that is stored on a battery. Later, when the rider is going uphill or needs extra speed, she can tap into that stored energy.
And when you attach your smart phone, the bike can be even more helpful. It has sensors and a Bluetooth connection that links to the user’s iPhone. The sensors monitor the bicycle’s speed, direction and distance and provides information about traffic and pollution levels. The Copenhagen Wheel
See also: James Dyson Award 2010: Longreach Buoyancy Deployment System by Samuel Adeloju
