Chalbot can automatically chalk the road with messages

One of the defining memories of my visit to the Alps to watch the Tour de France riders tackle the mountain climbs a few years back was of the hundreds of names and messages of support (and occasionally less supportive) chalked and painted onto the roads.

Cycling mad fans can spend hours and days coating the Tarmac with their messages, and some are incredibly creative. Taking it all to a new level though is the Nike Livestrong Chalkbot, a device that can spew out neat and precise words in a jiffy.

The trailer mounted device allows people to share their messages of hope and intent as they join in the global fight against cancer, supporters are encouraged to submit messages online or via SMS which will then be relayed to the Chalkbot as it travels the roads of the 2009 Tour de France.

Supporters will then receive an email with GPS coordinates providing the location where their message will be chalked.

“Lance [Armstrong] is a symbol of hope and courage for people living with this terrible disease,” said Scott MacEachern, Nike General Manager for LivestrongG. “This summer, we are encouraging people to actively join the fight against cancer and giving them innovative ways to spread that message to others.”

Take a look at www.nike.com/nikeos/p/livestrong/en_US/chalk_messages where you can also view a video of the Chalkbot in action.