A device invented by an engineering student at Brunel University should help save the lives of many motorcyclists by making it easier for cars to spot them.

　　If cars had the new I-SAW device fitted it would be much easier for drivers to spot motorbikes. (c) Brunel University

　　Motorcyclists very vulnerable

　　Motorcyclists account for 20 per cent of road deaths despite the fact that they only make up one per cent of road users. And as 60 per cent of motorcyclist fatalities involve cars, this new product could end up saving hundreds of lives each year.

　　The new device, I-SAW – Intelligent Situation Awareness – would be fitted into both motorbikes and cars, giving the latter a warning that they might be about to pull out into the path of a motorbike they had not seen.

　　Idea dreamed up whilst commuting

　　Sam Bairstow, who is studying industrial design and technology at Brunel, dreamed up I-SAW as he commuted on his bike from Egham in Surrey to Watford in Hertfordshire during his placement year.

　　He reckoned he saw what he described as "potentially life-threatening situations" at least once a week, with "vehicles pulling out, or drifting into my lane without checking their blind spot".

　　"Motorcycle nearby. Take care"

　　When the I-SAW is fitted into a car and a motorbike is near at hand, the display device in the car shows yellow, orange and, finally, red which indicates the bike is getting closer. At that point if the car driver uses his indicator or turns the steering wheel, an audio warning – "Motorcycle nearby. Take care" - sounds and the wheel vibrates.

　　Bairstow believes that by increasing safety more people would travel by motorbike. "After all the benefits are clear – a reduction in travel time, stress, costs, emissions and congestion." And, what's more, he reckons, "they'd have more fun on their journey!"

　　Device should attract great interest

　　Dr Mark Young, lecturer at the University's school of engineering and design, and an expert on road safety, said that "I-SAW is the kind of device that should attract interest from the public, road safety organisations and industry".

　　I-SAW is part of the MADE IN BRUNEL exhibition held in June each year which is a showcase for the very best talent in engineering design. It is entirely put together by Brunel engineering students with contributions from partner universities, Tsinghua in China and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Madras, India.

　　Chinese and Indian entries

　　The Chinese entry this year is a musical dumbbell which combines music from an MP3 with exercise for busy office workers.

　　The Indian student from IIT produced a device for partially blocking off the aortic artery so that grafts can take place with a continued blood flow.

　　Many companies and investors

　　The exhibition attracts many companies and investors who want to meet the young innovators and, according to the University, it also "inspires young people to think of engineering and design as exciting, worthwhile careers that can help solve some of the world's major problems in sustainability, health and development".　　 (Source: British Consulate-General in Chongqing)