Noise-canceling headphones can’t block out this genius bike bell

Pedestrians wearing noise-canceling headphones are at an increased risk of accidents with cyclists due to their unawareness of surroundings. To address this, automaker Škoda has developed the DuoBell, a new bike bell designed to overcome headphone algorithms. This "analog solution to a digital problem" emits two distinct sounds that active noise cancellation (ANC) technology struggles to cancel. One sound falls within ANC's narrow blind spot (750-780 hertz), while the other is too fast and irregular for ANC to process. Škoda collaborated with researchers at the University of Salford to develop this innovative bell. The project also involved creative agencies AMV BBDO and PHD, and production company Unit9 for prototyping. Škoda plans to make its underlying research public, highlighting the need for modernized bicycle bells in a world increasingly filled with digital distractions. The DuoBell's improved design provides a reaction distance of up to 22 meters, giving pedestrians more time to react to an approaching bicycle. Real-world trials with Deliveroo couriers demonstrated the bell's effectiveness and desirability. This invention offers a promising solution to reduce cyclist-pedestrian collisions, which are on the rise due to the simultaneous growth of cycling and noise-canceling headphone use.