This Portable Radio Alerts Drivers to Cyclists on the Road

In Brazil, where cycling is increasingly popular but accidents are frequent, a portable radio device is being used to alert drivers about cyclists on the road.

Safety Bike Radio, created by Isobar Brazil for the 98FM radio station from the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, is a portable radio transmitter that interferes in the frequency of a radio station from within 30 meters distance; when a cyclist is near a driver it'll send alert messages to drivers telling them to keep a safe distance.

Messages are prerecorded, but cyclists are also able to record customized messages for drivers and communicate in real time. They can also create their own device using instructions available online, for a cost of just U.S.$38.

The project was developed by Isobar Brasil together with BSB Fab Lab. It's being tested in the cities of Belo Horizonte and Brasília, but Isobar hopes it could be used by cyclists and radio stations nationwide.