LiveMap: A 'Smart' GPS Motorcycle Helmet That Really Is
As wearable tech concepts go, the idea of a "smart helmet' — a motorcycle helmet equipped to deliver usable information to its wearer via heads-up visuals projected onto the visor, such as GPS data — really is quite smart, allowing riders to keep their eyes on the road. And even smarter? Configuring said helmet to respond to voice commands, allowing riders to keep their hands firmly on the handlebars.
So all of this considered, the LiveMap helmet is indeed one wicked smart piece of wearable tech.
The brainchild of a group of Russian engineers, the lightweight Android-based LiveMap helmet is fitted with GPS and voice controls, developed with a $250,000 grant by the Russian Ministry of Science (or roughly $30,000 less than the cost of a single Feline One).
LiveMap CEO Andrew Artshchev says he got the idea for the LiveMap helmet from fighter pilot technology, "I learnt about the concept of aviation helmets and decided to create a civil motorcycling helmet on that model, which would show not target detection for pilots, but navigational information - to turn right or left and so on."
Specifically, the LiveMap will offer:
And lest potential LiveMap helmet customers worry about difficulties in operating such a high-tech device, the group's website assures that "despite sophisticated modern technologies being at the heart of product it is going to be easy to use".
The LiveMap helmet will go on sale in the U.S. in August at a stock price of $2,000 (the company is, though, accepting pre-orders at their website for $1,500).
So all of this considered, the LiveMap helmet is indeed one wicked smart piece of wearable tech.
LiveMap CEO Andrew Artshchev says he got the idea for the LiveMap helmet from fighter pilot technology, "I learnt about the concept of aviation helmets and decided to create a civil motorcycling helmet on that model, which would show not target detection for pilots, but navigational information - to turn right or left and so on."
Specifically, the LiveMap will offer:
- augmented reality for easy and user-friendly navigation
- clearly visible collimated image (i.e., it is always in focus, as in scope sights)
- a full-color, translucent minimalist display projected on the visor interior that will provide an unobstructed view and eliminate the need for a separate display
- voice control via embedded microphone, based on short commands issued in normal language that will be context-understandable
- two earphones
- a light sensor that will adjust image brightness according to external light conditions
- G-sensor, gyroscope, digital compass for head movement tracking (the picture changes according to the view direction)
- long operation time, courtesy of two 3000 mAh batteries
The LiveMap helmet will go on sale in the U.S. in August at a stock price of $2,000 (the company is, though, accepting pre-orders at their website for $1,500).
