As self-riding automobiles are not pretty ready but, motorbike accidents unfortunately arenevertheless a element. every now and then, stupid monkey brains can’t see someone driving a bike. Lumenus desires to restore that with clever clothes and add-ons for runners, cyclists and motorcyclists. The business enterprise is taking element in our Startup Battlefield opposition at TechCrunch Disrupt new york.
Lumenus integrates LEDs into garments. For now, the business enterprise is working on jackets, a vest and a backpack. in the course of sunlight hours, they appear to be normal clothes and accessories. Atnight, you may turn on the LEDs for protection and take gain of the clever functions.
“all of the machine is completely embedded — you’re now not going to peer wires and LED bulbs,” Lumenus co-founder and CEO Jeremy Wall told me earlier than Disrupt. “You’re easily able to transfer out your bike jacket for this upgraded version because you’re not losing, consolation, match and size.”
The battery is a small circular cellular with a male USB on it so that you can plug it to any USB charger. Oncommon, you could assume 7.5 hours of non-stop light usage, or 24 hours of flashing mode. And thefirst-class element is that those lights are water resistant.
when Wall turned into in college, he commenced driving his motorcycle a lot to travel. He was a touchbit scared whilst the sun went down. “I almost got hit by way of a car at one point,” Wall advised me. That’s how he got here up with the concept behind Lumenus.
in case you’ve been following Kickstarter campaigns, you know approximately Lumenus, because thecorporation already did a a hit crowdfunding campaign overdue closing 12 months. Lumenus plans toship the backpacks in July with different objects following rapidly after. objects range from $one hundred fifty to $450.
And yet, those clothes and accessories are just step one. The startup has bigger plans, with a softwaredetail, a licensing enterprise and capability new markets.
permit’s start with the software program part. Lumenus isn’t pretty much safety. for example, you couldconnect your jacket to your cellphone the usage of Bluetooth and enter turn by using flip directions.setting aside the query whether or not it makes feel to attach your jacket for your cellphone, the handcuff LEDs will let you know while you must turn left or right so that you don’t should have a look atyour telephone.
Your jacket also may want to alert you whilst a person is asking you, or in case you’re not walking fastsufficient compared for your target tempo. Wall calls this a 0 UI design. The LEDs can provide you withbits of information without requiring you to faucet to your phone’s display screen. And your telephoneacts just like the mind for your jacket.
Then there’s the licensing commercial enterprise. Lumenus desires to partner with other garb brands to add LEDs and smart capabilities. The startup is pronouncing onstage that Bollé is the first partner and isworking on a Lumenus-enabled motorcycle helmet.
The startup doesn’t act as a white label organisation, as you still need to install the Lumenus app to takegain of all of the capabilities. In other words, Lumenus desires to become the same old of cleverclothing for cyclists and runners.
eventually, Lumenus sees a destiny for smart garments past cyclists and runners. “We see a hugepossibility in the commercial safety area,” Wall said. If Lumenus era doesn’t get commoditized, the startupshould make garments for dual carriageway construction employees, miners or transport humans.
manifestly that is a longshot, but it could also turn this nifty product right into a a hit enterprise.
Questions & solutions
Judges: Ajay Agarwal, Charlie O’Donnell, David Pakman, Ellie Wheeler, Joanne Wilson
Q: Do you have got any information yet that shows that these devices improve safety?
A: In wellknown, 21 percent of deaths show up at some stage in just three hours of the day — night time. And the primary reason is loss of visibility.
Q: Are you going thru offline retail?
A: For the offline channels, we really want to do a fascinating experience in shop. with regards tolicensing, we want to follow the Gortex model.
Q: What about carrying it at a rave?
A: We’re searching at approaches to make it react to track.
Q: what number of people to your team proper now?
A: proper now, we’re four.
Q: so that you need to license your technology with 4 people?
A: We need to amplify the crew. We already have the relationships with shops, and many others.
