We needed to hightlight some locations on a very large map (3m x 4m!). These locations needed to be lit up as a pedal powered race between two people and needed to display which person had lit them up first. We developed some LED ‘pixels’ based on 24 LED Neo-pixel rings. These lit up in … more
We were asked to build another pedal powered Scalextric for a promotions company. Here are some photos of the build and the final unit – no photos of it in action yet, but hopefully updated soon. … more
This post has information about an LED matrix used to show power, energy and other data from our pedal power systems. Mostly standard components have been used to implement this, along with a specifically written library to take serial data and update the LED display accordingly. … more
There has been a spate of pedal power projects in the re-innovation workshop recently. This post shows one recently built for Nottinghamshire Healthcare. The pedal generator was designed as a challenge with a twenty second test to see the amount of energy the cyclist can generate. It also needed to be relatively portable (to fit … more
I’ve just put the finishing touches to a pedal-powered DVD player which will be installed at a Stubbington Study Centre in Hampshire. This pedal generator is designed to be entertaining and fun, while also being educational and robust. There are three parts: Pedal generator – based on an exercise bicycle Large bar graph display DVD … more
A lot of the projects created here need to communicate with each other, or with other devices. In order to do this I wanted to implement a standardised communications protocol. Hence any item that is designed here at re-innovation can interface with other items seamlessly. I decided to base my communications protocol on the Lightweight … more
This was a project to pedal power ‘Cheese’ a theatrical adventure through the twists and turns of a system too big to fail. It turns out that theatre productions are not usually the most energy efficient performances, using high power lighting and sound rigs. This highly efficient show will be powered using human pedal power. … more
Magnificent Revolution run pedal powered cinema and music events. I have worked with them extensively, mainly on their electrical systems. They have a 8 and a 20-bike pedal power unit which can generate quite a bit of power (around 2kW with 20 riders). They wanted a display to give feedback on the amount of power … more
I’ve recently finished work on another pedal powered smoothie maker. This time its a bit different: its designed to fit 20″ wheels of BMX bikes. This was commissioned by London Bike Hub (who already have a large pedal smoothie bike, pedal powered scaletrix and a pedal powered electricity generator from me). They wanted a smoothie … more
Re-Innovation’s LED bar graph and energy bike were hired by Bristol University Sustainability department for use at the university freshers fair. The pedal generator was used as a power generation challenge, with the highest output power winning a fair trade hamper. This meant that it was tested to the max with over 10,000 students visiting … more
Have you ever wanted to build your own pedal powered machine? Fancy making a holiday of it in somewhere slightly more sunny than the UK? Then here is your chance…. Renewable Energy Innovation has teamed up with Magnificent Revolution and Sunseed Desert Project to bring you not one but two in-depth pedal power courses. These … more
For the past three years I have been running an ‘introduction to solar photovoltaics’ workshop at the Small Is…. festival and this year was no exception. The Small Is… festival is a collaboration between Practical Action and Engineers Without Borders UK set in the grounds of Practical Action’s headquaters, The Schumacher Centre, near Rugby. The … more