«Chinese Google» Baidu designs a smart bike fitted with data-generating sensors

Canadian company Vanhawks recently unveiled a smart bike that’s able to offer turn-by-turn directions to the rider, while another project in China proposed an electric bike that can be folded away and stored in a backpack. Dubike was created as a joint effort between Baidu’s Institute of Deep Learning (IDL)   and the Artistic and Industrial Design departments at   Tsinghua University, Beijing. According to reports on   Yahoo   and Chinese website   36KR, the vehicle is also able to turn kinetic energy into electricity to power all of its electronic components using a hub in the rear wheel. Further information on the design, including its materials and weight, will be revealed when the bike goes on sale. A navigation bar that offers riders the best routes to their destinations   is   integrated into the handlebar atop the bike’s black single-piece moulded chassis. Any information gleaned from the bike can be synchronised to a mobile device using Bluetooth, making this data available for analysis and for sharing on a specially designed social network. It is most well known for its Chinese-language search engine, leading to it being commonly known as the «Chinese Google». This software platform could be made available to other bike manufacturers. IDL is working on a bespoke operating system for the bicycle, which features mapping, navigation, and health monitoring. An accompanying app will allow cyclists to measure their performance against preset fitness programmes, the results of which can also be shared on social media. The business also offers a range of online services including a collaborative encyclopaedia and a discussion forum.