The Prius X Parlee bicycle, which allows riders to shift gears by thinking “up” or “down.”

Would you ride a bike that shifts gears as you think about them?  The Prius Project is developing just that.  Using electrodes connected to a rider’s helmet, the Prius X Parlee bicycle picks up on neuro-electrical activity, subsequently changing gears via a thought-controlled interface.  Riders need only think the words “up” or “down” to engage an electronic gear shifter mounted under the bike’s seat.

The bicycle is a part of Toyota’s Prius Project campaign.  While the company doesn’t currently plan to sell the bike, it’s apparently a commercially viable option.  Would you buy this?  One advantage we can see to it is that, hey, it forces its rider to wear a helmet, since that’s where the gear-shifting electrodes are mounted.  We just wonder if riders can direct their thoughts enough to engage the shifter properly.