Skoda DuoBell: A clever bike bell to tackle ANC headphones

Ever tried ringing your bike bell at someone wearing noise-cancelling earbuds or headphones? You’ll probably know how pointless it can be at times. Happily, Czech automaker Skoda Auto thinks its new DuoBell can solve that problem.

Developed together with scientists and audiologists from the University of Salford, the DuoBell is a bicycle bell that is designed specifically to cut through the active noise-cancelling (ANC) feature of earbuds and headphones. Instead of just being louder, it works smarter by producing noise in a very specific frequency range that ANC headphones struggle to block.

According to the company, there is a narrow “safety gap” between 750Hz and 780Hz that can slip past ANC algorithms and filters. The DuoBell is tuned to hit exactly within this range, making it more likely to be heard by pedestrians wearing ANC headphones who would otherwise be completely unaware of their surroundings.

However, that’s only part of it. The “Duo” in DuoBell comes from a second resonator inside the bell, which creates high-pitched uneven tones using a special hammer. Uneven sounds are harder for ANC filters to suppress, which helps improve the DuoBell’s effectiveness.

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Locally, this could be a useful addition for cyclists. As Singapore’s active mobility network expands, more shared spaces are created between cyclists and pedestrians, increasing the risk of accidents. I’m sure cyclists can attest to the number of times they’ve rung their bells only to realise the pedestrian in front of them is wearing ANC headphones.

Instead of placing blame on either side should an accident occur, the DuoBell targets the real issue. Often, pedestrians cannot hear conventional bicycle bells if they are wearing ANC headphones. According to tests done by Skoda, the DuoBell gave pedestrians up to 22 metres of additional reaction distance, or about five seconds more to respond. On a busy shared path, that extra time can help prevent accidents.

Where can you get the DuoBell?

Sadly, Skoda has no plans to sell it commercially and has instead published its research to encourage wider adoption. Hopefully, someone picks up on this and makes this bell a reality because it could have the potential to help cyclists and pedestrians avoid accidents.