Less noise, more risk.
More pedestrians than ever use ANC headphones.
Car horns get through, but bike bells get blocked.
Leading to a rise in cyclist / pedestrian collisions.
Introducing DuoBell. An analogue solution, to a digital problem.
Precisely tuned to a frequency noise cancellation can’t fully suppress, it ensures cyclists are heard when it matters most.
“This project is an expression of our design principles. It’s what we call Simply Clever at Škoda.”
Oliver Stefani | Skoda Chief Designer
Extra reaction time for ANC
wearing pedestrians to react
More awareness compared
to a standard bike bell
The Science
Noise-cancelling headphones are designed to remove low, constant sounds and soften high ones. They do it by using algorithms to predict incoming noise and cancel it out in real time.
Stage 1
Incoming noise is received by the chip in the noise cancelling headphones.
Stage 2
Predictive algorithms then create a counter-sound in anticipation.
Stage 3
Which then cancels the incoming sound before it reaches the ear.
The Discovery
Between the lows and highs ANC headphones are built to cancel, there’s a narrow mid-range they struggle to fully suppress.
A small window where sound can slip through.
We didn't make it louder
we made it smarter
Small Bell, Big impact.
For a bell to generate a frequency this low, it usually needs to be the size of a dinner plate. Our research discovered a way to engineer an ordinary sized bell to resonate at the exact frequency to penetrate ANC.
Designed to be unpredictable.
For the sound to register instantly, we added a second bell tuned to familiar, recognisable frequencies. A four-part striking mechanism then creates a rapid, irregular waveform, making it impossible to ignore.
Built to
be shared.
From lab testing to live street trials, every part of the system is documented. Our findings are open to anyone working to make roads safer.
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Born on a Bike.
Committed to Safety for all Road Users.
Škoda began as a cycle company in 1895. And we're proud to champion cycling to this day. For over 20 years we've been a main sponsor of the Tour de France, as well as backing grassroots cycling around the world.
We are commited to making every journey safer. For everyone on the road.