To helmet or not to helmet? It is a debate that has been raging among bikers since the earliest days of the two-wheeled vehicles. Those who prefer to wear a helmet might be pleased to know that there are a couple of products now in development that will eventually put some pretty impressive technology on top of your head. One such product is the Guardian GA-1 from Fusar Technologies.
Fusar unveiled their new helmet at the recent Augmented World Expo (AWE) 2014 held in Santa Clara, California. AWE attendees got the official first look at a brand-new helmet designed to make riders safer with wearable technologies based on the concept of augmented reality.
Augmented reality is the principle of combining live, real-time environmental information with computer technology. The purpose is to help people make better use of perceived reality in order to make better decisions. It is a concept companies like Fusar believe will make bikers safer.
See, Hear, Command
What is the number one, root cause of motor vehicle accidents in the U.S.? Distractions. We are distracted by everything from our cell phones to less-than-favorable weather conditions. The Guardian GA-1 aims to do two things: reduce distractions and provide additional information bike riders can use to make safer decisions.
Here are just a few of things Fusar is planning for the new helmet:
- Rear View Camera: The new helmet features a rear view camera that captures images and sends them to a set of glasses that act as a real-time display. The camera enables a biker to know what is going on behind him/her without having to turn his/her head away from the road in front.
- Audio Information: Bikers should be able to set up their helmets to present certain kinds of information by way of built-in speakers. Obviously, a cell phone can be wirelessly connected to the helmet via Bluetooth technology as well. The speakers give the biker the advantage of being able to hear certain information that would otherwise be unavailable.
- Voice Commands: The linchpin of the new wearable technology is the ability of the biker to control all of the helmet's functions via voice commands. A built-in microphone captures the commands, software translates them, and the helmet performs whatever task the wearer intended.
Developers hope the Guardian GA-1 will be well received among other technology companies so that it can be linked together with popular services and apps. They envision the day when the display could be used by the wearer to check road maps, find restaurants and gas stations, and make hotel reservations. They essentially want to take the functionality of a mobile communication device and pair it with a wearable display.
If you are the kind of biker that prefers not to wear a helmet, none of this likely means much to you. However, you can still be part of the technology revolution. You can always replace your regular sunglasses with Google Glass or another similar augmented reality display. Either way, it's time to face the fact that high-tech headgear is coming to the biker world.
