Adaptive headlights... For a motorcycle.

[cheezewiz]

I'm working on my engineering capstone project at Santa Clara University an hoping some of you guys wouldn't mind helping me out.

My team an I am designing an adaptive headlight system for integration into motorcycles to increase night time sight distance and in turn hopefully increase the safety of night riding.

As part of our research we are trying to identify specifics who might be interested in a system like this. If you ride a motorcycle and have a minute can you take my short survey at:

http://projectnightrider.com/limesurvey/index.php?sid=27662&lang=en

Any responses will be helpful to get our project going in the right direction. If you are interested in the project we will have periodic updates on the team site (projectnightrider.com)

It's good to be back on the forums. Hopefully I'll finish up senior year and get to go back home to my e30 and will see more of you guys around.

[Bishop]

Took yer quiz

[BakesE30]

+1

[Massive Lee]

Seems to be a very interesting project. Keep us informed.

Rememember that in order not to blind incoming traffic, headlamps should always be properly aimed, which is why all new cars with HIDs have self-levelling headlamps, which is a legal requirement, and which is why aftermarket HID kits are not legal if installed on cars without self-leveling headlamps.

On a car, the leveling systems works up and down to compensate for weight distribution in the car. I wonder what can be done on a motorcycle as it also leans, which will greatly alter how the headlamps are aiming.

Also, back in the late 1960s, a French company called Citroen had the first models of the DS 21 equipped with headlamps that aimed left and right, following the steering wheel input to give better lighting in corners and sweepers, until the system was widthdrawn as it would blind incoming traffic. Interestingly, that same system was reintroduced a couple of years ago as being a great innovation by a few well known companies.

[asubimmer]

gotcha

[everlast]

quiz'd

[Wh33lhop]

Seems to be a very interesting project. Keep us informed.

Rememember that in order not to blind incoming traffic, headlamps should always be properly aimed, which is why all new cars with HIDs have self-levelling headlamps, which is a legal requirement, and which is why aftermarket HID kits are not legal if installed on cars without self-leveling headlamps.

There are plenty more reasons than that that HID kits are illegal.

Few comments on the idea though.

Motorcycles have short wheelbases and I find a lot of them going over bumpy roads to have a "strobing" effect because the angle of the bike is so affected by bumps and undulations. But honestly, is this really a bad thing? Lots of guys install "flash boxes" on their bikes to make them more visible, and even though I don't really ride I don't have a problem with that. Blinding light from motorcycles doesn't really bother me as they actually need it (and most of them tend to be gone so quickly it's not a big deal). Just like loud pipes save lives, near-blinding lights have a similar effect.

Myself, I'm also hoping you're leaning towards a "twist" self-leveling system, as in one that will remain flat with the road when you're in lean. Obviously only possible with a projector, but I think that would be awesome.

[boom-monkey]

Took the quiz.

[cheezewiz]

Thanks for taking the quiz guys. It helps a lot to get a little feedback. Without giving up all the details we have all the sub components of the prototype working well right now. We are still sorting out the dynamics of the system and still need to get a bike down here to test on. I'll keep you all posted as the year wears on.

[Trucidatio]

you can use my bike, and do whatever the hell you want to it.

[bejbis]

Myself, I'm also hoping you're leaning towards a "twist" self-leveling system, as in one that will remain flat with the road when you're in lean. Obviously only possible with a projector, but I think that would be awesome.

thats my biggest beef with projector lights on newer bikes, when you lean for a turn your cutting off the light in the direction your turning.

[Kruzen]

Got the invite on FB colby, I don't live down there anymore :(

[cheezewiz]

Kruzen... its a survey not an actual event! haha. BTW, I heard you were in my garage yesterday?