Škoda DuoBell: A bicycle bell that penetrates noise-cancelling headphones
4 days ago
- #urban-mobility
- #bicycle-safety
- #active-noise-cancellation
- Škoda introduces DuoBell, an innovative bicycle bell designed to penetrate active noise cancellation (ANC) headphones to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists.
- The bell was developed with scientists from the University of Salford, who identified a 'safety gap' frequency between 750–780 Hz that ANC cannot suppress, and uses a dual resonator and irregular strikes to outsmart headphone algorithms.
- In tests, DuoBell provided up to 22 meters of additional reaction distance for pedestrians wearing ANC headphones, and was well-received in real-world trials with Deliveroo couriers in London.
- The redesign addresses rising collision risks in cities like London, where cycling is increasing and up to half of pedestrians wear ANC headphones, contributing to a 24% rise in incidents in 2024.
- DuoBell is a mechanical, analog solution that reflects Škoda's design language and cycling heritage, with the company planning to share research findings to foster expert discussion on urban safety.