An American company has developed new helmet technology that will soon gift motorcycle riders eyes in the back of the head.
The Skully P-1, a motorcycle helmet with a heads-up display function, rear-view camera and smartphone connectivity, was unveiled last week at an international conference giving them a full 180-degree view of what’s happening behind them.
The DOT-certified helmet was conceived by Skully founder Marcus Weller after he was reportedly involved in a motorcycle accident while trying to read street signs.
To help eliminate navigational distractions, the P-1 features a head-up display - like that originally developed for fighter pilots - and similar to Google Glass, a device which has caused some conjecture in Australia and abroad. The HUD graphic appears in the bottom-right corner of the visor opening, out of riders' primary field of vision and appearing to float six metres ahead, according to Skully.
The helmet runs a modified Android operating system built to work with or without a data connection, and the display, which can give turn-by-turn directions, connects to a rear-facing camera with a 180-degree field of view.
The helmet also offers Bluetooth functionality, allowing riders to pair their smartphones for phone calls, text messages and music playback – managed using voice commands.
The Skully P-1 is due to be launched internationally next year.
Similar head-up display helmets have been toyed with by several companies, as a way of making motorcycle riding safer.
