Red Hot PCB: Illuminating Bike Light Control

Riding your bike at night can be a bit scary if you’re not wearing the proper safety attire. On this week’s Red Hot PCB we are featuring our customer’s design – an LED bicycle remote that controls the rear tail light system and also the lights attached to the bike helmet for secure safety precautions.

This beautifully simple PCB was designed by Fabio Baltieri who works for a computer programming provider called Google Ireland Limited. The helmet mount includes a rechargeable battery that operates 3 different light settings. The remote controls the front head lights that can work in safety light and head light mode, and also a rear light that acts as a stop light when the brakes are engaged. The remote is attached to the bicycle’s handlebars which gives it easier access to operate the control system.

The controls include three tactile switches (on/off, safety light, high beam) as well as a reed switch to detect the position of the brake lever and activate the stop light. Acting as the brain of the board, there is an ATmega88PA microcontroller used for ultra low power operation, and also a Nordic nRF24L01+ radio for controlling the helmet unit. The advantages of this design allows users to use high beam LEDs when riding through dark areas, while keeping lights and controls in ideal positions on the bike.

Thank you to Fabio Baltieri for his contribution on this week’s Red Hot PCB!