Towards Non-Distracting Smartphone Interaction While Biking Using Capacitive Sensing as Input Device

The rising cycling trend in recent years has highlighted the need for enhanced safety, especially with increasing cyclist numbers and changing infrastructure dynamics. Fueled by the increasing smartphone usage, distracted riding due to digital devices remains a critical concern. In this work, we propose a system utilizing capacitive sensing for hands- and eyes-free interaction, designed to improve safety while maintaining digital connectivity. Our system employs capacitive shoulder covers that detect shoulder tap gestures with the user's cheeks, allowing cyclists to interact with their smartphones without removing their hands from the handlebars or diverting their gaze from the road. A mobile application deployed on Android forms the interface to detect gestures through a Convolutional Neural Network and link them with appropriate smartphone features. Potential use cases include phone call management, media player control, navigation confirmation, and broader integration towards cyclist communication and safety in swarm cycling scenarios.