Opinion

Tocsen - the fall sensor that calls for help when it crashes

22/9/2022

Translation: machine translated

Being alone on your bike is nice. But it can also be dangerous, for example in the event of a fall. This is where Tocsen comes into play. The system consisting of a fall sensor and app calls for help when the fallen biker can no longer do it himself.

Riding a bike is fun. I prefer to ride alone. Biking in a group is also nice, but it always involves compromises. One person needs a break, the other really wants to ride that one trail and so on. When I'm on my own, I can concentrate fully on my needs. That's cool, but it can also be dangerous. I recently experienced this once again when a wild SUV driver almost ran me over. And then just drove off.

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This incident got me thinking. That's why I got the smart rear light from Garmin with video function, hoping it would record such incidents. Since then I've been riding with a better feeling, even if the part can't prevent an accident. I get it.

What if ...?

But what happens if I'm riding my MTB or gravel bike alone in the forest, I get knocked down and there's no one around to give first aid? This is where Tocsen comes in. The system, which consists of a fall sensor and an app, calls for help when the cyclist who has fallen is no longer able to do it himself. If the sensor detects a fall, it asks the user if everything is all right. If there is no answer, the app sends an emergency call to emergency contacts and Tocsen users in the vicinity.

There are quite a few bike helmets that have a fall sensor fixed. My models from Lazer and Giro, which I usually ride, do not fall into this category. So I obtained the Tocsen crash sensor separately and attached it to the helmet.

Bike helmet accessories

EUR129,–

Tocsen GPS Tracker Crash Sensor

Kleiner Knopf mit hoffentlich grosser Wirkung im Notfall.

How the Tocsen system works

In the free app, the Tocsen Sensor must be set up and personal emergency contacts entered. Contacts who have not also downloaded the app and can be notified via it will receive an SMS in case of emergency. To connect and activate, the sensor must be shaken. Then you are ready to go - whether on a bike, skis or even a horse. In the event of a fall, the sensor and app ask acoustically whether everything is okay. If the rider does not react, the emergency call system is activated after 30 seconds and all emergency contacts and all Tocsen members in the vicinity are alerted, including GPS coordinates.

Three modes are available in the app: Active, Standby and Off. The first mode activates the sensor, Standby deactivates it to save power, Off disconnects the connection completely and you no longer receive emergency calls from the nearby community. The battery is said to last up to three months on a full charge thanks to Bluetooth Low Energy.
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By the way, even without the Tocsen Sensor, someone can join the community via the app and help in an emergency.

... oder über die App. — Meldung per SMS ...

Safety is subjective

There is no such thing as absolute safety. This much is certain. Neither a smart tail light on your bike nor a little button on your helmet can prevent a bad accident. But they can at best mitigate the consequences. If rescue is carried out as quickly as possible, the chance of survival increases. And then there is the matter of subjective perception. Do I feel safer on my bike with these gadgets? Yes, I do. Does that mean I take a greater risk when riding? No, I don't. Because objectively speaking, that would be unreasonable.

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Patrick Bardelli

Senior Editor

Patrick.Bardelli@digitecgalaxus.ch

From radio journalist to product tester and storyteller, jogger to gravel bike novice and fitness enthusiast with barbells and dumbbells. I'm excited to see where the journey'll take me next.

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This is a subjective opinion of the editorial team. It doesn't necessarily reflect the position of the company.

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