Consumer Product Development
Spotlight
Company: Gesture Controlled Products, LLC
Industry: Gesture Controlled Devices
HQ: Minneapolis, MN USA
Webpage: www.turncycle.bike
Based in Minneapolis, Gesture Controlled Products, LLC (GCP) is a recreation innovation company focused on making outdoors recreation safer and more accessible for everyone. The GCP team has over 20 years experience of human physiology and product development experience.
Product/Project Highlights
TurnCycle
Client: Gesture Controlled Products, LLC
- Mounts to the bicycle or on a belt centring device on cyclists’ back
- Bluetooth communication between wrist worn sensor and the signal display
- Wristband communicates bicyclist’s hand gestures wirelessly and displays turn and stop signals
- Display provides clear signalling for commuters, motorcycle riders, snowmobilers and other motorized vehicles”
Situation:
Car and bike collisions account for one out of three bicycle accidents and are responsible for the majority of cyclist fatalities. TurnCycle was conceived after two decades of work in physical therapy, where Shelly Fern treated patients who had been severely injured while riding bicycles.
Shelly believed a product that increased visibility and communication between bicyclists and motorists would improve bike safety by reducing crashes and injuries.
TurnCycle
Client: Gesture Controlled Products, LLC
Process:
When Shelly brought this idea to the Solid Design Solutions (Solid) Team, her passion for rider safety resonated with the group. The Solid Team began to brainstorm concepts immediately. In the Concept Phase, the user’s needs and how it would communicate with motorists were pivotal considerations.
Some important features that needed to be in the final design were: • Lightweight construction • High Visibility LED lights • Intuitive usability Keeping these key design features in mind, the Solid Team began with a thorough concept and ideation phase. Numerous concepts were developed and discussed in terms of usability, manufacturability, and marketability.
Once Shelly and the Solid Team selected the preferred design, a 3D computer model and prototype were created to flush out preliminary design concerns. The team continued to refi ne the design, always considering the functionality, visibility, and manufacturing requirements were met before moving on to the Final Design phase.
During the Final Design phase, the design was prepared for mass production and released to our manufacturing partners. After inspecting the samples, the design was tweaked to fit and function properly. Assembled samples were then rigorously tested, followed by the performance of final reviews and a final quality check. After the product was approved, assembly and user instructions were created.
Solution:
The final product hit all of Shelly’s criteria to improve the safety of its users, while maintaining a high level of functionality and usability. Overall, the display unit weighs six ounces and the wristband weighs only one and one-half ounces, light enough to be almost unnoticeable. With the ability to fasten to the rider’s waist or mount to the rear of the bicycle, cyclists can choose the configuration that they prefer. Additionally, the display is rechargeable using a USB cable, while the wristband uses a coin cell battery
