Lexus has developed a vehicle that synchronizes with the driver’s heartbeat, using light to showcase the bond between driver and car.
Lexus has transformed a standard RC F coupe into a unique, one-of-a-kind vehicle called the “heartbeat car” using electro-luminescent paint. This special project is not available for purchase and is a one-time collaboration exclusive to Lexus. Watch the video below for more information.
The project, which was a partnership between M C Saatchi Australia’s creative technology division, Tricky Jigsaw, and Lexus Australia, had the objective of linking the human body to the car. The side panels of the car illuminate, as the model incorporates biometric technology to showcase the physical and emotional bond that exists between man and machine while driving.
According to Ben Cooper, the innovation director at M C Saatchi, they are shifting the conversation from discussing top speeds of cars to emotions evoked by driving. The team worked on a project for six months at a closed-off track in southern New South Wales to explore how driving impacts heart rate. They discovered that the passenger’s heart rate goes up when professional drivers take corners. The team then found a way to express the heartbeat throughout the car by using a wireless heartbeat monitor that sends the driver’s heartbeat to a control board in the rear of the car. The electro-luminescent paint on the car’s side panels displays the heartbeat in a pulsating pattern using a custom-built Arduino micro-controller. Recently, Lexus revealed the world’s first ever car with a heartbeat.
Utilizing biometric technology, the model is capable of illustrating the physical and emotional bond established between humans and machines while driving. As shown in the image, the car is being tested on a track.
Lumilor, a U.S. company, has developed an incredible electro-luminescent paint that glows in the dark. The paint is made from phosphorescent substances that emit light, resulting in a remarkable finish. Interestingly, when the car is parked during the day and the system is turned off, it looks like a typical silver car without any hint of its glowing potential.
The mechanism runs on a 13-volt battery that has the ability to recharge itself automatically when the engine is in operation. Cooper is enthusiastic about this innovation as it opens up a plethora of possibilities for various applications down the road. It can be programmed to exhibit diverse inputs, such as illuminating on one side while turning or displaying a distinctive sequence when accelerating.
