Aster is a commute backpack with integrated bike lights, turn signals and automatic brake indication – that’s not all…
Aster is a backpack that saves lives!
Aster improves visibility, reduces accidents and saves lives! Aster’s rear and profile lights make you visible to motorists from all sides, front lights signal your presence in rear-view mirrors and automatic brake lights help you avoid getting rear-ended. Integrated turn signals make sure that drivers around you know when you’re making a turn.
With a USB-rechargeable 4,000 mAh in-built battery, Aster can light up 10-15 hours of your commute under normal conditions.
SIDEKICK AND MOBILE APP CONTROLS
Aster also ships with an app called the Lumos Aster app to provide add-on functionality. You can use the app to control Aster’s light settings, get low-battery alerts and enable anti-theft protection features. The Aster, the Sidekick and the Lumos Aster mobile app are connected via Bluetooth Smart, courtesy Nordic Semiconductor’s nRF51822. The lights can be switched on from Sidekick itself and do not need the app.
ANTI-THEFT ALARM
Aster presents you with an additional layer of security over and above your existing bike lock. Using the Lumos app and the handlebar-unit, you can lock your bike in its place with one tap! If your cycle is moved for more than 5 seconds once locked, an alarm is triggered to attract attention. This functionality is offered through the accelerometer built into the handlebar unit.
Aster comes in two striking colours, both of which come in either 18L or 24L capacity. With its sleek shape and discreet appearance, the backpack blends in at the workplace.
Aster has several commuter-specific compartments – a minimalist helmet holder, a whistle buckle, tuck-away U-lock holder loops, zippered bottle pockets, rain-cover and an ‘In Case of Emergency’ information slot In the event of a crash, important information such as blood type, allergens and emergency contact numbers can be accessed easily.
You can pack a 15.6 inch laptop with charger, change of clothes and shoes, smaller gadgets, books, bike-tools and spares, rain-jacket, a 1-litre water bottle and even your lunch!
The bag is also weather-resistant, with a waterproof TPU coated exterior and rain-resistant zippers that cause water to bead up and roll off the surface. What’s more, it makes for easy cleaning, which means you don’t have to worry about splash-back!
THE TEAM BEHIND ASTER
A combination of super-geeky engineers and creative designers who are mad about cycling is what the diverse Lumos team is built of. We believe that an improvement in cycling safety would lead to an overall higher adoption of cycling as a form of commute across the world!
We’ve successfully delivered solar-powered cyclist backpacks (the Lumos unPlug Solar Backpack and the Lumos ThrillSeeker Solar Backpack) across 16 countries over the last 3 years. These backpacks have an integrated Solar Fabric (yes fabric, not panels), so riders can charge their devices with the bag, while on the move! In fact, the ThrillSeeker was voted by BikeMagazin.de as one of 15 innovations to watch out for at EuroBike!
Right now, the Aster is available for only US$109 + shipping at Indiegogo.