Cklara, the Safety First Robotic Flower
Safely Reflecting beauty, one cyclist at a time.

Cklara has been designed to be a safety aid accessory for a cyclist.  It is a designed to open and close in a slow manner; this adds an animated effect while also yielding additional time to grab more spectators’ attention.  The final product is made of Lexan, and moves via a single Arduino and Servo, along with multiple segments of fishing line.  The base has a layer of electrical tape on the outside, thus creating a smoothed, yet secure, texture to the box.  Both the shape of the flower and the base, were moulded by hand.

The flower’s movement was inspired by the mechanics of muscle.  Muscles can only do two things, contract and relax, and it are these functions that make everyday movement possible.  So while experimenting with various techniques of movement, I came to the decision it was the most accurate and clean way to make the flower move like a muscle.  There are multiple segments of fishing line attached to each petal, that are then connected to an arm on the Servo.  The Servo is connected to a previously programmed Arduino, which is then connected to a battery pack.  The base is a cube shape, with one side that is able to open and close for easy access to the Servo, Arduino and bottom of the flower.  This battery pack then in tucked away into a pocket below Cklara.  The cyclist has been imagined to secure the base, using the three large safety pins, onto his or her backpack.

All of Cklara is decorated with various forms of spray paint.  The petals have multiple layers of day-glow, florescent pink, spray paint; along with two layers of reflective spray paint.  This way the petals have a day-glow effect, while also being useful when the light from headlights hit the accessory.  The base, that has a layer of black electrical tape, and on top of that is a small misting of day-glow, florescent pink, spray paint; along with reflective spray paint.  This way even the base will reflect.  

On top of the elaborate safety paint applied to Cklara, there was also a UV LED added to the centre of the main flower.  It is angled to illuminate the inside of the flower for three reasons.  First, to add more illumination on the cyclist, second to illuminate the florescent pink even more, and thirdly, it is angled in such a way that the, highly optical sensitive, UV LED does not get into fellow road patron’s vision and skew their line of sight.  It is important to keep everyone safe on the roads.  

Remember, cyclists are everywhere.