The latest Owl 360 rear view camera is based on a very similar concept to those now often seen equipped in the back of cars for parking. The idea is simple, cyclists among us will be aware of the common issue of cars not seeing us when we're on the road. Despite majority of drivers looking in their mirrors when they turn, there's always the danger that we might fall into their blindspot. This is where the Owl 360 could come in handy, the latest gear consists of a small camera which is mounted underneath our seat and a 3.5? TFT LCD monitor attached in the front to the handlebar.

With the Owl 360 equipped, one could keep an eye on the busy traffic behind without having to consistently turn your head around and compromise safety for the road ahead. By doing so, the cyclist could also be aware of which cars will soon be making a turn and hence adjust their own speed accordingly.

A 3.7-volt lithium-polymer rechargeable battery keeps the camera running for up to five hours. The camera is also weather-resistant, vibration protected, and has a ring of red LEDs that will turn on automatically and flash whenever it detects that it's getting dark outside.

There are probably even more applications for the Owl 360, such as keeping an eye on your kids if you're out on a cycling trip, in a sense the Owl 360 is the latest tech way of replacing the traditional handlebar mirror.

Despite the advantages, the Owl 360 is pretty pricey, expected to retail for $179.99 once available and of course the device will be more time consuming to mount and unmount between rides compared to the conventional mirror. However, frequent commuters may still find this a worthy compromise for safety.

[via The Owl 360]