Ards tech firm takes pioneering work to global show in Las Vegas

Innovative cycling technology and data company See.Sense is one of a select handful of European firms to win a coveted place at the world's biggest consumer electronics event as a part of a programme aimed at encouraging firms to trade internationally.
By The Newsroom
Published 4th Jan 2018, 18:27 BST
Updated 5th Jan 2018, 13:02 BST
See.Sense founders Nick and Irene McAleese aiming to break into new markets through CES2018See.Sense founders Nick and Irene McAleese aiming to break into new markets through CES2018
See.Sense founders Nick and Irene McAleese aiming to break into new markets through CES2018

The award-winning firm will use CES2018 in Las Vegas to launch its new product ACE, fresh from wowing thousands of crowdfunders with the most backed bike light on Kickstarter ever.

As well as a light, ACE uses uses patented sensor technology and AI to monitor the cyclist’s environment and their unique riding behaviours, anonymously transmitting real-time data that can be used to develop a range of insights useful for planning safer and smarter cities.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

ACE will provide cities with totally anonymised insights on routes taken, road surface quality and information on accidents or near-miss events - enabling cities to identify hotspot areas, conduct proactive road maintenance, optimise traffic flows, and more.

The trip has been arranged with the Department for Internatinal Trade in London as part of the Horizon 2020 programme to send SMEs overseas to internationally important events.

“See.Sense is a fantastic example of British innovation,” said DIT Minister Baroness Rona Fairhead.

“It is only right that their pioneering technology has been recognised through representation among the very best in tech from Europe at CES 2018.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“As an international economic department, DIT has worked with See.Sense through various trade missions over a number of years, and we hope that their success will inspire others to look at exporting as a way of growing their businesses.”

The new product is the result of ongoing R&D, with the company building up strong support from the cycling community.

The lights use contextual awareness to react to their environment, flashing brighter and faster at riskier situations such as roundabouts, road junctions, filtering in traffic and to approaching cars headlights.

They also connect to an app providing a suite of features such as crash and theft alerts as well as ride stats.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We are honoured to be included in this short-list of companies who have won this prestigious place at the huge technology trade show,” said Irene McAleese who founded the business with husband Philip.

“We will be representing the very best in tech from Europe and will also be putting Northern Ireland on a global stage in the US.”

See.Sense iscurrentlyconducting closed data trials in conjunction with the councils in Belfast, Dublin and Manchester to demonstrate how the data collected by their products, can be used to help planners design safer and smarter cities.

Related topics:Las Vegas