Georgia Tech to Test 'Smart Locks' on Emory Bikes

By Jonathan Shapiro

Atlanta – Soon, Emory and Georgia Tech students will be able to borrow bikes simply by text message.

Funded by a 50,000 dollar grant from Ford Motor Company, Georgia Tech is installing wireless and GPS technology on Emory's bicycles, allowing users to check them in and out via texting. When the bikes are not in use, no matter where they are, users and administrators will be able to wirelessly lock them.

"You can ride it wherever you want," said Kyle Azevedo, the Georgia Tech graduate student who is managing the bike-share program. "You can lock it up temporarily but keep it checked out in your name, and then whenever you're done with it, send one more message, and it's checked back into the system for anyone else to use."

He says easier access to bikes will lead to increased use, which will open up whole new neighborhoods to students.

"We'd like to see in the long term a combined system that spans between the two campuses and possibly even serves the local neighborhoods like Midtown," said Azevedo.

The new smart-lock bikes will be available at Emory next summer and then will eventually be expanded to Georgia Tech.