The unique Škoda DuoBell bicycle bell is a classic example of a completely analog solution to a problem caused by digital innovation. Its ringing sound bypasses the noise-canceling capabilities of modern headphones, which often isolate the wearer from outside noises all too well. People with headphones using active noise cancellation are often left in a perceptive bubble where they fail to react—or simply react too late—to imminent dangers on streets and sidewalks they can’t hear coming. The DuoBell’s mission is precisely to make itself heard even beyond the latest-generation barrier filters. Ring Bling To design the DuoBell’s ANC-defeating capabilities, researchers from the Czech brand—which coincidentally enough made its commercial debut in 1895 with a bicycle—worked closely with researchers at the University of Salford in the United Kingdom to verify whether there was a way to overcome active noise cancellation. ANC is now present in the vast majority of headphones and earphones, including low-cost models. It’s also a feature of software programs; it’s the tech that keeps your dog’s incessant barking from showing up in your …