Cars already have theft alarms that create a racket when someone tries to tinker with or steal them. So far, there have not been many bike alarms, but now Wi-MM offers one that can notify users if anyone tries to pinch their bicycle. The Bike+ BPU-100 from Wi-MM is a bicycle computer that runs embedded Linux.
As bicycles are easy targets for thieves, people with top-of-the-line bikes think twice when riding in areas that have high theft rates. However, the Bike+ BPU-100 will notify users if their bike is stolen by sounding an alarm and helping track it down via GPS. The device links to cloud services via its onboard 3G cellular modem. Additional capabilities include real-time location and mapping, route tracking, synchronizing to a smartphone via Bluetooth, apart from fleet management features.
To determine whether a bike has been moved and stolen, the Bike+ uses the combination of a cloud-based service, a 3G cellular modem and an accelerometer. Depending on the GPS and 3G signals, the user receives continuous updates about the present position of his or her bike. When moved or stolen, an alarm goes off and the owner receives a text message. The owner can then track the movement of the bike over a smartphone. The user can affix Bike+ securely to the frame of the bike to prevent it from removal.
Although the protection device does not have a screen, it can link to a nearby iOS or Android smartphone via Bluetooth. On this, the bike computer offers real-time location and mapping features. Apart from ride tracking functionality, the user can make use of several performance analytics including distance traveled, time and speed over the web interface.
The accelerometer on the Bike+ also helps in detecting the occurrence of a crash. If the bike crashes, Bike+ can send automatic alerts to selected contacts. For tracking multiple riders, messenger operators can make use of the Fleet Management Dashboard. This helps in bike sharing.
Among the various features including the anti-theft alarm and buzzer, the Bike+ boasts of a high-performance GPS receiver and a 3G cellular modem. This links to a smartphone via Bluetooth, providing in-ride experience such as real-time ride information, accessible on the web browser. Bike sharing operators can use the fleet management dashboard of the device. In case of a crash, the Bike+ can detect and send alert notifications.
The method of working of the Bike+ is very simple. The user can get on his/her bike without concern. The device immediately detects motion and starts to collect ride statistics, while the rider focuses on the journey. In case of an emergency such as a crash, the device will notify the riders loved ones.
Bike+ uploads all ride information to the cloud automatically. Therefore, the rider has a chance to monitor his/her progress and keep track of their goals at any time. On parking the bicycle, the user can rest assured that the Bike+ will watch over the bike to detect if it is being stolen. It then generated an alarm, while the user can locate the present position of the bicycle on the web.
