True story*: After having my bike stolen for the third time in as many months a few years ago, I had the exact same idea as the SmartLock from designer Mike Lambourn. Except instead of dye and pressurised gas inside the cable lock, I envisioned explosives and shrapnel to teach the bastards a real lesson. Obviously, it never got off the ground - it's fairly difficult to buy explosives in today's terror-filled society. And besides, this is a much better idea - the dye the SmartLock sprays will mark the bike, the crime scene and the criminal, making it easier for the cops to catch the perp. And even if they wash off all the dye, the cable also includes Smartwater, a special invisible liquid that is practically impossible to remove and can be detected by police using UV sensors.

The SmartLock is currently available for licensing, so hopefully we'll see it in real bike chains soon.

* Not a real story at all - I made it all up. I haven't owned a bike in years...

[Mike Lambourn via GizMag]

Tags: au | bicycles | bikes | chains | dyes | gadgets | locks | security