Orp Smart Horn
Saving lives with a teched-out bike horn
Taking back the road one head-turning honk at a time, the Orp Smart Horn hopes to curb biker incidents with a redesign of the classic bike bell. Currently raising funds through Kickstarter, the “Smorn” is the brainchild of Tory Orzeck, founder of Portland’s Fuse industrial design studio, who saw a need following a sharp spike in bike-related accidents. Rising gas prices, health concerns and eco-consciousness have all contributed to greater biker presence, but cars still don’t always see even the most cautious rider. Part of the issue is visibility and part is driver education, but Orzeck noticed a third factor: when it comes to sound, bikes might as well be invisible.
The Orp is a small, silicone attachment that links horn and headlight. The horn has two tones—friendly and loud—that it can sound to alert traffic and pedestrians, and the light can function as a beacon or strobe. The shell is made of cast silicone, and features a rear “wail tail” that is used to activate the horn. The Orp can be detached readily, and the internal lithiom ion battery is rechargeable through micro USB.
Support Orp’s Kickstarter campaign, where $40 will secure a smart horn from the initial production run.
