Falco’s electric bike converter is powered by your heart

There are a lot of electric bike converters out there, but they don’t all have this much heart. Weirdly enough, I mean that literally. Electronics company Falco is currently raising money on Kickstarter for Fusion Sports Drive, its converter kit that can turn any bike into an electric bike, so you’ll never have to struggle up a hill again. It consists of a wheel with an electric hub motor that replaces the back wheel of a bike and is designed to be rugged enough for mountain biking. It’s powered by a 50V 420Wh lithium-ion battery… in conjunction with its rider’s heart.

When you’re putting the pedal to the metal, the bike’s connected app and heart rate monitor work together (via ANT+ or Bluetooth LE) to track how well you’re holding up, adjusting the amount of help the bike gives you accordingly. There are five levels of power assist, and you can set your target heart rate at the start of the ride to make sure you get the workout you want.

The app also keeps you informed about how much battery power you have left, although one charge should apparently keep you going for a good 100 miles or so. On the device itself, there’s a braking system and USB charging port for your phone.

You’ll need to put down $695 (£425) by 1 October for the full kit, and if it can crowdfund the $100,000 it needs, Falco plans to ship them next April.