bits and bikes

I’m happy to announce that Grockit will be offering its paid summer research internship program for the summer of 2010. This is the second year that we’re doing this (thanks again, Angela!), and I think it’s a great opportunity for doctoral students to apply their own research experience to a system that a large (and growing) community of learners uses everyday. It’s worth mentioning that Grockit has a large and interesting set of educational data, a variety of research interests, a very talented team, and a fantastic work environment. I just posted details about this program (with an application form) on the 2010 Summer Research Internship, and I encourage you to check it out.

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While there’s a growing range of interest in and options for commute-oriented bicycles (e.g. the $900 Novara Fusion, the $1100 Breezer Uptown, $1600+ Civia Hyland, etc.), if you’re considering bicycle commuting, I would recommend against purchasing one these. Instead, I’d suggest borrowing a lesson from Agile software development: iterate.

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Following on my recent posts on the hackable Monkeylectric LED spoke lights and the Altoids tins of bicycle hacks, I’d like to share an idea that I’ve been toying with on and off for the past year. I don’t have the parts, tools, or expertise to build this myself, but perhaps you do, so I’ll share:

The idea is to build an automatic continuous transmission for a bicycle, by wiring up a controller for a NuVinci CVP designed to maintain a constant level of tension on the chain.

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Let me start by saying that I believe in visibility. And not in the dim-red-blinky kind of way. A healthy dose of LEDs and reflective tape cover both me and my bicycle when I ride after dark. But while my 4-AA front Cateye is quite bright, and my PlanetBike SuperFlash on back is nearly unmissable, my side visibility falls short. So a few years ago I picked up a pair of Hokey Spokes, and attached one to each wheel. (These battery-powered units attach to a spoke and fill the wheel with light from 16 yellow LEDs when it is spinning.) Last week, I took off the Hokey Spokes to try out something new: the Monkeylectric m132s. I’ll start with a few videos…

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Web-based applications are becoming increasingly popular, offering a variety of compelling advantages over desktop-based applications, both to developers and to users. These applications are platform-independent, accessible from any Internet-connected computer, offer offsite data storage, and often provide integrated tools for collaboration and sharing. One major tradeoff, however, is a loss of privacy. But this doesn’t mean that we need to give up on privacy (or give up on web applications.) We just need to think more creatively…

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I’ve been using this speaker for about a month of commuting, and am happy to report that it has been a fantastic addition to my day. Music plays loud and clear, the handlebar-mounted controls are easy to use (even with gloves on!), and the attention to design is clear. Including batteries and my 4G thick iPod, the whole setup weighs just over 2 lbs. But these are definitely the most fun 2 pounds that I’ve added to my commute, so the weight has been fully justified. [Full review]

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