The device demonstrated in this video is called the LaserCube and is essentially a compact projector that can create images, text, and even animations, using a laser light source. At just shy of $1,000, the least expensive version of the LaserCube isn’t exactly cheap (how many thousand dollar devices do you really want to strap to your bike?) and the boxy gadget is actually much larger than other bike-mounted GPS satnavs offered by companies like Garmin. But following a big glowing arrow that counts down the distance to your destination? That almost seems worth the risk of scrambling to unmount the LaserCube from your bike and stuffing it into a backpack when it starts to rain.
Wicked Lasers doesn’t go into specific details about how it created this tantalizing tech demo, but the big appeal of the LaserCube is that it’s highly customizable and can be connected to other mobile apps. So in this instance, the distance and directional information is being pulled from a mapping app running on a smartphone with GPS. Is it the most practical way to get to where you need to go? Probably not, as anyone who’s ever tried to navigate with just a compass will tell you. Having turn-by-turn street directions is far more useful. But there’s no reason this idea can’t be refined (and miniaturized) further and built right into a bike’s handlebars—it would definitely be worth the upgrade.