Back in 2016, Patrick Noel in IT CIO organization, took an intensive four-month course with MIT’s Otto Scharmer on “The Theory U”, a change management method for transforming business, society, and self for emerging innovations. One of the requirements for the Theory U course was to make an innovation using the Theory U method.
A committed mountain biker and lover of the outdoors, Patrick is naturally concerned about pollution and the environment. He is also passionate about new technologies. After much thought, Patrick decided he would build a solar connected bike. He shared his idea with his long-time friend and colleague, Fakrou Akbaraly, who had had also undergone the “Theory U” training and who was equally passionate about innovation and new technologies.
Together, they developed a plan including Innovation, Leadership and Coaching process which they submitted to Nokia’s GIM (Global Innovation Mall) and to Nokia Paris-Saclay management. With Nokia Bell Labs sponsor and Nokia “Le Garage” support, the two built an Open Innovation eco-system that designed the bike and built a prototype that they exhibited at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in January 2019. The hybrid Solar Connected Bike is designed to have big autonomy, to be safe and accessible to all people. It enables individuals, local communities and professionals to reach urban, suburban and even isolated areas. Green co-mobility is the core focus of the Open Innovation Eco-System.
The Team Nokia Blue Coach Patrick-Fakrou answered to our questions.
- How will the SCB use solar energy for smart mobility?
The SCB used embedded hybrid solar, electrical, and mechanical energies. The solar panels fastened to the roof of the SCB give it 120 km autonomy. Solar energy charges the electric battery which powers the engine.
- Could you give more details about the connectivity?
Connected sensors, GPS tracking, health, security, and services applications, help make safe and secure mobile usage of the bike.
This bike or more precisely, a “trike”, is accessible to everyone on bike paths and motor roads due to an optimized design protection and respect for road speeds.
The breakthrough design fits customer usages by introducing unique aesthetic and practical needs, with stress-free driving, seat adaptability, and an embedded environment protection camera able to deliver real-time data following local regulations, and enabling professional services (insurance, public safety, bike renter and 5G telecom services...)
- Please tell us more about green technology?
The Solar Connected Bike is a green, co-mobility, connected transportation solution. It promotes individual well-being with prevention (health protection mixing personal and professional usage) by adapting the electric assistance with the checkup data collected. The co-biking usage helps optimize resources and can even generate new jobs (for future taxi-solar-bikers, for example). It favors green ecological development (energy, transport, pollution control, traffic reduction …).
The SCB has unique values compared to other types of mobility in smart cities:
• SCB is available and independent of parking areas.
• SCB is designed for an adult and guest.
• The business model is “fully service-based”.
• The SCB product market is focusing on Open Innovation Eco-System.
• SCB can be driven on dedicated bike paths and car roads.
• It is green co-mobility shared stress-free ride usage.
- What is the next step?
The next step is our personal initiative for the SUNTRIP 2020 solar bike race to raise awareness and promote green mobility.
Nokia CEO, Rejeev Suri, and Nokia Bell Labs President, Markus Weldon, support us and we will promote Nokia embedded technology in the Solar Connected Bike.
As officialTeam Nokia Blue Coach Patrick-Fakrou, we are really proud to wear Nokia flag during this the SUNTRIP challenge.
On September 12, Nokia signed the partnership with SUNTRIP organisation. The race will cover 12,000 km in less than 100 days from Lyon-France to Guangzhou Canton, China from June - August 2020. The SUNTRIP route is long and crosses extreme terrain. The SCB will no doubt be tested to its limits.
This is an amazing race and opportunity for Nokia to demonstrate its values for Green Energy, Smart Cities, Mobility, 5G technology and AI. The SCB will provide daily analytics that will allow us to discover new use cases with the types of collected data (health, climate, energies, pollution, nano-particles, carbon gaz capture, routing, …). You can find more info on Youtube and on LinkedIn
It is an opportunity for cross-disciplinary collaboration and an important contribution to boost innovation mindset, to promote IT for Green, Nokia Garage usage to bridge and to federate, enrich location development. A first project based on Open Innovation to relate as a success story sticking to LEAP mindset [to go beyond its own limit and performance objective].
- Your Futuristic message ?
One motto : Our limit is there is no limit !