A TRIO of inventors based in Scotland have developed a secure bike stand cyclists can operate from their phones.
Michael Evans, Mason Holden and Daniel Harkin dreamed up Bikevault while studying product design engineering at Glasgow University.
The device locks bikes between two metal towers and is unlocked either through an app downloaded to a smartphone or through a personal swipecard, eliminating the need to carry a heavy lock during journeys.
The system contains digital advertising display panels at each end, allowing the service to be free for councils and businesses to run, if they wish.
The entrepreneurs launched their company Admium in 2014, and took part in the National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts 'Hands Off My Bike' competition, where they developed the ideas behind Bikevault.
Michael Evans, commercial director for Admium, said: “Since setting up our business and moving to The Whisky Bond we have been working very hard to bring our vision to fruition and are now delighted to be in a position to unveil BikeVault, which was initially developed as a concept at Glasgow School of Art.
"We look forward to bringing our development to both local and global markets and working in a creative and supportive environment, where we can discuss ideas, access networking and business development events and work in a flexible office space, takes us a step closer to realising this.”
The firm are based at Glasgow's Whisky Bond business hub. The Whisky Bond’s Fiona MacFadyen added: “The Whisky Bond is a real hotbed for product, graphic and fashion design as we have some really exciting and inspirational young businesses here who are making a real difference with new products that change the way people think and work.
"We aim to support these businesses and help them thrive, and are really pleased to see these businesses bringing new and innovative products the market.”
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