Researchers at MIT developed the Copenhagen Wheel -- an electric motor that they say can attach to almost any bicycle. The team says:
There is no external wiring or bulky battery packs, making it retrofittable into any bike. Inside the hub, we have arranged a motor, 3-speed internal hub gear, batteries, a torque sensor, GPRS and a sensor kit that monitors CO, NOx, noise (db), relative humidity and temperature. In the future, you will be able to spec out your wheel according to your riding habits and needs.
Users can also dock a smartphone to the Copenhagen Wheel to control how much assistance the electric motor provides.
Link via DVICE | Photo: MIT
Comments (7)
I recently watched unedited video of university students riding this thing for the first time, and almost every one of them fell. They're almost impossible to maintain balance.
More "we're dreaming" engineering by MIT.
Let me know when (and by when I mean if) it hits the market.
With just a quick search on bike hub motors:
http://www.evsolutions.net/9Continent.html
http://www.goldenmotor.com/
http://www.falconev.com/E-Bikes.html
This, being from MIT, is very nice however. I'd love to see if they open their motor controller source and schematics...
I'm interested because i find E-bikes too bulky and heavy, if it is true what those MIT geeks claim i as a dutchman am too say the least fascinated.
Isn't this an electric motor? Why would you need a CO,NOx and humidity sensor? And how is an electric setup not going to have wires?
And yes hub motors have been available for some time.
Bad article.
~~ Nehmo