With the Netherlands’ renowned biking culture and the upcoming summer European cycling season, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is talking GNSS and biking during the European Space Expo, part of the 2016 European Space Solutions Conference in The Hague.
In celebration of the Netherland’s vibrant biking culture and the upcoming start of such
grand European bicycle races as the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia, the European Space Expo will feature a special exhibition about the use of global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) in biking during its stop in The Hague.
During the expo, Space Solutions for Biking: Empowering Smart 2-Wheels! will highlight innovative applications powered by satellite navigation and Earth observation technologies that enhance the experience, increase the accessibility and safety of biking, and connect bikes to the Internet of Things (IoT). The event is being held in conjunction with the 2016 European Space Solutions Conference, co-hosted by the European Commission and the GSA, under the auspices of Dutch Presidency of the Council of the EU. It will showcase innovative solutions for smart bike sharing, smart bike riding, smart motorbike riders, and smart IoT for bikes.
With the upcoming declaration of Galileo Initial Services, the role of GNSS in biking is set to increase, as will be seen by such exhibiting projects as BikePredict, a mobile application that makes self-service bike riding easy by giving information on the number of available bikes and docks both in real-time and the near future. Another exhibiting company is Bike Citizens, an app designed by bike couriers to cater to the needs of cyclists in cities, favouring cycle paths and side streets over busy main streets. REALRIDER®, who will also be exhibiting during the expo, is a motorcycle app that keeps riders safe and connected and includes built-in lifesaving crash detection technology linked to emergency services. Last but not least, Satsafe™, a GNSS-based security application for bikers, will also be featured.
GNSS for the biking commuter
With more than two-thirds of Europe’s population living in cities, cycling provides a viable, sustainable solution to such challenges as congestion, air and noise pollution, accidents, infrastructure expenses and road maintenance. For this reason, non-motorised transport such as cycling is seen as a key factor to guaranteeing mobility for all and overcoming these urban challenges.
One EU-funded project, Space-tech for cycling, is helping to better position cycling as a viable form of transport in the public eye. To do this, it is developing an integrated solution that includes weather forecasts and a GNSS-tracks-analysis tool. The project utilises GNSS technology to track a cyclist’s routes and speed, obtain information regarding distance travelled and altitude variations, and identify the mode of transportation used. The system also makes use of Earth observation technology to provide the user with accurate weather forecasting and monitoring. The system combines these two space technologies in one easy-to-use app, which converts the gathered data into a ‘bike impact score’ that qualifies the user for such prizes as event vouchers and discounts at participating retail outlets.
Learn more at the European Space Expo
To learn more about the many ways European GNSS is impacting how Europe bikes, be sure to visit the European Space Expo in The Hague from 27 May to 5 June. The Space Solutions for Biking event takes place on Tuesday, 31 May, from 17:30 to 19:30.
Over 900 000 European citizens from across Europe have already visited the European Space Expo, learning how European space policy and space-based technologies benefit our everyday lives, support the European economy and create jobs.
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