Given that almost every time I fall off my bike, I land on my back, I probably wouldn’t stick an iPad in a rear-mounted pocket. But that doesn’t stop me wanting to try out the Sprocket Pocket, a home-make, iron-on iPad pouch for cyclists.
Slide the iPad into the see-through plastic pocket and load up the custom software. The iPad then uses its accelerometers to work out what you intend to do next and flashes a signal on its screen accordingly. Thus, by sitting up straight you’ll show drivers a stop-sign, and by leaning left or right you’ll display a turn-signal.
Or, if you’re riding tandem, the rear passenger can relax and watch a movie or (with the 3G iPad at least) check your route or catch up on email.
The Sprocket Pocket is a project by the Maya design consultancy, and will actually be sold after a “beta” testing phase. You can download a pattern to make your own pocket, but you’ll have to wait until the iPad app is officially launched. I’m pretty sure that using one of these right now would be more likely to distract car-drivers than help warn them (”Hey look, honey! An iPad!”), but what I really like is the potential of the iPad in hacking projects like this one.
Sprocket [Maya]
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