While there are now quite a few turn-indicator bike lights on the market, their bar-mounted controls are just one more bit of clutter to manage. Eesen’s Shield tail light/turn indicator takes a different approach, as it’s activated with a turn of the head.
Hardware-wise, there are two parts to the Shield setup – a seatpost-mounted light, and a wirelessly linked motion sensor that’s mounted on the back of the rider’s third-party helmet.
The idea is that when the user turns their head to perform a shoulder check before turning, the helmet unit will detect that movement and automatically trigger the light’s amber turn-indicator LEDs. Needless to say, looking to the left activates the left-turn lights, while looking to the right activates the right-turn lights.
In order not to accidentally set the turn indicators off with non-shoulder-checking head movements, users initially set the system to one of four preset sensitivity levels.
Additionally, an accelerometer in the tail light detects when the bike suddenly slows down, causing the red tail light LEDs to temporarily brighten, serving as a brake light. That accelerometer also allows the light to double as a theft alarm. If it detects that the bike is moved after being left untended, it causes a 110-decibel alarm to sound, plus it notifies the user via both an accompanying app, and a flashing LED within the helmet unit.
The app additionally lets riders switch between different lighting modes, plus it can be used to help locate the bike if the user forgets where they parked, by remotely causing the tail light to beep – the helmet unit can also be used for the latter, by pressing a button on it.
Both the helmet unit and the light are IPX6 water-resistant (they can withstand a high-pressure spray), and should reportedly run for about two weeks per USB charge of their lithium-ion batteries. Their combined weight is 95 grams.
Should you be interested, the Shield system is currently the subject of an Indiegogo campaign. Assuming it reaches production, a pledge of US$52 will get you a setup – the planned retail price is $70. It can be seen in use, in the video below.
Potential backers might also want to check out the successfully Kickstarted ticc light. It combines the turn indicators and helmet unit in one device, which is activated by tilting the head instead of turning it.
Bicycle turn-indicator tail light is activated by shoulder-checking [New Atlas]