Prius X Parlee, the bicycle that changes gears with mind power

Posted by Marty Noble On Tuesday, August 2nd 2011 in Technology

Prius X Parlee, the first prototype of a bicycle that can change gears using mind power was presented as collaboration between the Toyota Giant, the American bicycle manufacturer and the Deeplocal company.

The Prius X Parlee looks like an ordinary bike from the superior segment and it’s made from carbon fiber but underneath that common exterior design a new technology is hiding: a receiver which gets signals from a helmet. According to the manufacturers, the helmet integrates an interpreter of beacons, with the gear shifter being electronically.

The bicycle that changes gears with mind power started as a simple question: “What if the Prius was a bicycle?”. Starting from this, the developers of the X Parlee build the concept which seems out of this world. Just ten weeks later the question finally got an answer by combining a monocoque carbon fiber frame and the first brainwave operated shifter.

“There is a choice to be made every time something is built. It can either be done the way that is tried-and-true, or you can venture into the unknown in hopes of making that something better than it was before. This is the path taken by the Toyota Prius and its designers. Building upon the familiar foundations of a car, the Prius is an optimized version of something we were already familiar with. By blending cutting-edge technology with simple, sustainable materials, the Prius became a benchmark of efficiency, a testament to those who innovated and dared to make it so, and the cornerstone of a philosophy that is changing the way we drive today”, as it is shown in a statement for the press.

According to the manufacturers, the technology used in the project has new boundaries and the advancements of the Prius X Parlee are just ahead of their time, not fictional. “Imagine yourself shifting into a lower gear on your bike. Now imagine that imagining yourself shifting could actually shift your bike. Confused? Don’t be”, as it is shown in another press release.

The monocoque carbon fiber frame keeps the bicycle lightweight as well as increasing its durability and rideabilty and the brakes are molded into the fork and the bottom bracket in order to increase the aerodynamics, considering that the PXP was developed in a wind tunnel.

The gadget is currently in the concept phase but it can go to a promising direction in case Parlee will find a way to develop a reliable and financially accessible model.

John Orbea 11.08.03 11:35

The bike itself is old technology. Carbon fibre frames have been around for years, integrated aero brakes are nothing new. The "mind controlled" shifting - which currently relies on a laptop schlepped around on the the rider's back - is the only new part, and it's pretty much pointless as shifting becomes so instinctive to a cyclist that this system offers no advantage. Read a cyclist's opinion here: http://cyclopunk.blogspot.com/2011/07/mind-controlled-gear-shifting.html