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TECH NEWS
FAST light doubles up as anti-theft and crash detection device, and is seeking Kickstarter funding + video
Another day, another Kickstarter project. This one has potential though. It’s the FAST light, and doubles up as an anti-theft and crash detection device, as well as offering customisable lighting patterns via a smartphone app.
The FAST’s biggest benefit (as well as actually being a light) is that it can send a distress signal if you have an accident, and then send GPS data to an emergency contact. It can also be used as an anti-theft device. Any sudden movements will send an alert to your smartphone. There have been a few products launched in recent years that offer similar functionality, such as the Cycliq Fly12.
Fed up with the limited number of lighting modes on a regular LED light? FAST has your concerns covered. The lighting modes can be customised using a smartphone app, available on Android and iOS, so you can design your own flash pattern and change the colour - though as rear lights need to be red your creativity is probably best limited to the flashing pattern. The inventors claim the multiple LEDs offer 16 million colour choices though.
The FAST light is clever too. It can detect low levels of light and automatically power up. The FAST light has a 30 lumen output and a battery life of up to 60 days in standby mode, down to 10 hours on solid mode, the brightest of the available settings. The lithium polymer battery is charged via a USB port, with charge time a claimed 2-hours. It’s a compact light, measuring 75x39x29mm and weighing a claimed 39g.
The FAST creators are seeking $20,000 funding and so far have raised $7,912 from 120 backers, with 35 days to go. It looks good for them reaching their goal, we’ll track this story and update you if they’re successful. And provided they reach their funding target, they aim to deliver product in November 2015. Currently an early bird bid will get you a FAST light for just $19. The retail price will be $39.
Find out more at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/64558910/fast-tail-light-protects-y...
David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes.
Latest Comments
- lesterama 38 min 27 sec ago
They need to re-release a yellow turbo. That is their most iconic saddle of all time, as ridden by Fignon, Lemond, Hinault et al. on their...
- stonojnr 44 min 31 sec ago
it feels a conveniant donkey to put the tail on imo, and Im not saying some members didnt quit BC because of the Shell thing, but Im not entirely...
- Rendel Harris 1 hour 29 min ago
Did I mention that it costs £580?
- chrisonabike 1 hour 28 min ago
Yeah - and one of the passengers had the gall to say that the *driver* had taken a wrong turn!...
- chrisonabike 1 hour 45 min ago
Don't worry! They've got plenty of others they can use!...
- Rendel Harris 2 hours 1 min ago
Well what is that way? Are you suggesting that every bend on every descent can be barriered over a 180km mountain stage?
- slappop 6 hours 14 min ago
Hopefully it'll still be allowed for recreational use.
- Bungle_52 7 hours 6 min ago
Well Gloucestershire are getting better. I'm being told whether or not action is to be taken, but not what action, within a few days of each report...
- Surreyrider 9 hours 35 min ago
Churnalism nowadays - mostly clickbait stuff and regurgitation in the local rags/comics and beyond.
- DogOfOB 9 hours 48 min ago
I'm glad the barrier wasn't damaged. Whew, close one there! \s
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5 comments
However, I do agree with Armb, something 433mhz would be good
I'm going to try it, bluetooth range at home is ok and primarily this is what I would use it for.
They tried it on chris froome but he kept on running the battery down due to the frequency of crashes.
For this and the other devices mentioned, integrating with smartphones for anti-theft is largely pointless. Bluetooth doesn't have the range and the signal can barely penetrate a thick wall. You'll probably only be in range if you can see your bike, and if you can see your bike what's the point.
If instead, someone would sell a basic vibration based security device that uses a 433mhz transmitter (with keyfob receiver), I'd probably buy it. That's the frequency used for unlicensed devices such as garage door openers, and those can reach as much as a few hundred metres. For me, that's enough for most cases where I'd want to leave a bike outside a shop, office, pub etc
So someone please kickstart one of those, or I'll have to get the soldering iron out and make my own!
No mention of the range on the anti-theft, but it's going to be fairly limited. Still, I suppose if you were any further away, being alerted that someone was messing with your lock wouldn't help anyway.
(Their photo shows an unlocked bike. Don't do that.)
And, as already pointed out, the variable colours and patterns are of limited use on the road.
But it could be a fun cheap toy, and if the crash detection is reliable, could actually be useful.
Illegal in the UK as a primary light, as it's not red and might be flashing too fast!