World Moto, a company based in Thailand, has repurposed the motorcycle wheel. The company’s “Wheelies” product has added a multimedia dimension to this most basic of motorcycle components. This new technology, shown at the Sign Asia Expo in Bangkok, consists of L.E.D.s attached to the wheel’s spokes. The location of the wheel, along with the position of each of its blades, is tracked and transmitted through a complex set of algorithms, allowing the rider to control what is displayed on the wheel.
World Moto CEO Paul Giles said, “The technology has the potential to turn essentially any wheel in the world into a brilliant, full-color billboard or video screen.” The display can be controlled manually or automatically, through phones and other smart devices, gesture and speech recognition or Bluetooth wireless communications. Displays can include video, animation, images and text, and the product comes preloaded with custom content. You can create playlists and even share content between vehicles in real time. The technology can be used for advertising as well as personal use, and it’s Internet ready with social media profiles!
The company’s website claims that “Wheelies are your own personal canvas in the physical world, a beautiful and inspiring new medium of self-expression, a fun way to share content, engage, collaborate and create entirely new experiences.” We say, “Just another deadly diversion in this world of already-distracted drivers.”
