If a motorist just sees a red light up ahead, they might not realize it's a bike's tail light – at least, not at first. The VIS LightPool Taillight is designed to address that problem, by alternately shining down along with outwards.
Designed by US bike light manufacturer Light & Motion, the device is currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign.
When manually activated during daylight hours, the LightPool just projects amber LED light to the rear and both sides of itself, providing the cyclist with 180 degrees of visibility. Once the sun goes down, however, an integrated ambient light sensor automatically switches on a downward-facing beam – it illuminates the rear wheel and pedals, plus it produces a "pool" of light on the road to either side of the bike.
The LightPool then alternates between both types of lighting as it flashes. According to the company, this functionality helps drivers realize that what they're seeing on the road ahead is indeed a cyclist, so they can approach with due care and attention.
The tail light additionally offers 105 lumens of output, a claimed six hours of runtime per four-hour charge, and IP64 waterproofing – that means it can withstand water spray from any direction.
Assuming it reaches production, a pledge of US$65 will get you a VIS LightPool Taillight of your own. The planned retail price is $80.
You can see it in use, in the video below.
Source: Kickstarter