The Skully Smart Helmet

[RubberSideDown]

I've been interested in the new Skully helmet since it was first announced, and I've applied to be a beta-tester ( though I don't think they're looking for people outside the US and Europe for the initial release)- I think the idea of an HUD (which is transparent so it doesn't cut out any of your street view) for GPS, traffic info, rider communication, a view of the rear, speedo/tach, etc is a great idea as anything that lets you access necessary info without taking your eyes off the road can only increase your safety margin.

I suppose a possibly drawback would be if the rider is bombarded by too much information, but having driven a couple of cars with an HUD display I think you'd get used to it pretty quickly.

I'll be buying one of these eventually (either by Skully or some other manufacturer)- it's the future of gear.

http://wearableworldnews.com/2014/03/21/wearable-skully-motorcycle-safety/

Some people have a lightbulb moment to start a company. Marcus Weller had a motorcycle accident.
Weller is the founder of Skully, a startup focused on bringing motorcycle helmet safety into the future. What that looks like in Wellers vision is helmets whose displays are fed by rearview cameras, GPS navigation and all the modern trappings of smartphone technology via Bluetooth.

And in the not-too-distant future that includes a communication network with other motorcycles and vehicles to prevent collisions. Its much like whats expected of Googles driverless cars.

Imagine a world in which we can create a digital force field around the rider. Wouldnt that be crazy? Well guess what? Its possible, says Weller.

In this scenario, people will opt to have their locations broadcast in the interest of safety. It may all sound Orwellian. But Weller thinks people will quickly trade away the fear of their whereabouts being tracked for the inherent safety benefits. It works simply: You connect riders wearing the helmets to an infrastructure of vehicle-to-vehicle communication. Cars, for example, would simply veer away when sensing a motorcycle in its path on that network.

That will happen within the decade, says Weller of driverless cars, pioneered by Google, hitting the road. To be clear, were incorporating technologies now that enable that type of platform.

Wellers idea smacked him in the face. He was riding a motorcycle on busy Barcelona streets, turned his head for a split second to catch a street sign, and next thing found himself stacked into the rear of a Smart car from Daimler AG. He recovered from the accident more than just his banged up bones: the idea for his helmet to save people from turning their view from the road.

Skully is scoring accolades for its AR-1 helmet. The startup picked up the accelerator award for the wearable technology category at SXSW, in Austin, Tex., earlier this month in the competition with over 500 companies. That award follows it snagging the DEMO God award at the DEMO conference, where it first launched in Santa Clara in October.

If Skully appears to be the darling of upstart wearable technology companies, thats because it is. Like Twitter, Tumblr and those before it who made a splash at SXSW, Skully garnered its share of the spotlight. And like those companies, the surge of interest led a growth spike in Skullys case, applications for those wanting to be beta testers of its AR-1 helmet.

Weve had many thousands apply and the response has been overwhelming. SXSW has only increased that and broadened the appeal, says Weller.

Skullys beta testers are required to fill out an elaborate application that includes an essay to be among those to receive the first helmets. The startup expects to officially release its AR-1 helmets in 2014 and may deliver some of the pre-release units early to some beta testers. Skully has not yet disclosed the price of its AR-1 helmets.
Disclosure: Skully is a resident startup of the Wearable World incubator in San Francisco.



Rear view:



GPS view:

Edited March 24, 2014 by RubberSideDown

[seedy]

I ride my bikes in part to get away from the day-to-day.

 

Do not use earphones, bluetooth headsets, any distractions from my riding.

 

Get lost, or need directions - pull over, grab a drink, chill, look at GPS or paper map.

 

Not for me.

[RubberSideDown]

I can see your point- I really like the rear-view, though- my mirrors aren't the greatest (though I can see my elbows just fine;)), and I'd like to know what's coming up behind me (not much on the open road, but in traffic it's a different story) while maintaining my view ahead.

I don't mind being connected. Edited March 25, 2014 by RubberSideDown

[mania]

Not interested in being wired into any networks

etc.

 

But....That rear view is a big benefit IMO

I could go for that

 

[JonnyF]

The rear view camera and GPS looks cool. Although the idea of people being able to track my location and call me while I'm riding doesn't fill me with joy. I'm with Seedy on that one - I ride my bike to get away from all that and it's one of the few remaining places I have a good reason why I didn't answer calls, respond to line messages etc.

 

I'm sure you'd be able to switch of all that stuff though, so depending on how transparent/intrusive the display is (I wouldn't want it to block the dog in the corner of my eye that's just about to cross the road) I'd be willing to try one.

[VocalNeal]

It's all about peripheral vision. If Weller didn't have sufficient peripheral vision to avoid running into the back of a car how will having all that crap on a "heads up" display make riding a bike any safer? 

 

Just another case of widgets looking for a use. I was going to say technology looking for a use but there is a lot more technology in the world than just PC/phone based visual stuff. 

[RubberSideDown]

I'm looking forward to reading some real-world reviews- I'm sure you can switch on/off the features you want (no one needs GPS all the time)- I'm also interested in hearing how the view might be affected by the HUD.

As far as your phone goes, there's an app I use that automatically responds to calls with an SMS ('I'm riding my bike and will call later' or whatever) that I use when I ride- phone calls in the saddle are too distracting (though I like exchanging info rider-to-rider or rider-to-passenger via my Sena intercom).

'Text Deflector' app developed by a rider:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.textdeflector Edited March 25, 2014 by RubberSideDown

[RubberSideDown]

It's all about peripheral vision. If Weller didn't have sufficient peripheral vision to avoid running into the back of a car how will having all that crap on a "heads up" display make riding a bike any safer? 
  

Yes, using a 27-year-old movie as an example of the technology and efficacy of an HUD rather than, say, the helmets fighter pilots currently use is probably the way to go...;)

Maybe it will crash-and-burn as an idea, but dismissing the concept out-of-hand is very short-sighted- they've poured a lot of money into R&D and will be releasing the first model soon- I would bet most obvious potential problems (like reduced field-of-vision) have been addressed, as that would certainly be a major point of any review. Edited March 25, 2014 by RubberSideDown

[mania]

 

It's all about peripheral vision. If Weller didn't have sufficient peripheral vision to avoid running into the back of a car how will having all that crap on a "heads up" display make riding a bike any safer? 
  

Yes, using a 27-year-old movie as an example of the technology and efficacy of an HUD rather than, say, the helmets fighter pilots currently use is probably the way to go...

Maybe it will crash-and-burn as an idea, but dismissing the concept out-of-hand is very short-sighted- they've poured a lot of money into R&D and will be releasing the first model soon- I would bet most obvious potential problems (like reduced field-of-vision) have been addressed, as that would certainly be a major point of any review.

 

 

Yes surely it does not obscure anything as display is probably transparent

 

 

Same as looking out a car window to see...... or choosing to look at your reflection in that same car window instead

Sorry if not a clear example ( pun untended )

 

 

Looking at original post you can see the rear view is transparent

It would just depend on what depth you choose to put your focus

 

 

 

 

Edited March 25, 2014 by mania

[JonnyF]

Would be better if the display was on the top corner of the visor instead of the bottom, maybe you can choose the size and location?

 

Not too many dangers come from above (well, in LOS we get containers falling off highways etc but in most places they don't...)

[ATF]

Having rear view is the best. Been thinking for a long time about buying one of those reversing cameras and putting a small screen on my handlebars so I could ditch my mirrors and get a proper rear view. Don't like the name or the design of the helmet though. Think they should concentrate on a retro-fit system so you can use it with whatever helmet you like, maybe by just changing the visor? Would be great though to see all my Power Commander readouts come up HUD fighter pilot style. It's not as distracting as you may think because if you fully focus ahead you don't see them.

[sup3r1or]

They are quite pricy, i have seen one more company doing the same forgot the name though.
What about waiting a bit for google glass which is coming to consumers this year and modding your helmet a bit for it?

Sent from my HTC One using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[WitawatWatawit]

Don't think I like the rear view camera being in the helmet. Turn your head fractionally, and the picture shifts, forcing you to refocus, which doesn't sound to me like a good idea. You need a stable rear view so that your brain can instantly return your eyes to a point of reference and not have to re-establish a new point.

While the idea of having a HUD sounds sexy, I would have to give it a lot of thought as the only way I have survived for 25 years in Thailand is by having my wits totally about me - no distractions of any kind. When a phone call needs to be answered (or gps checked) pull over. And like others here, when I go out for a ride, it's to enjoy the freedom and the countryside, not to have technology biting me in the ass every few seconds.

[ll2]

it is a great idea and i am also interested on buying such a helmet with HUD display.

Seeing all the info without looking down is great.

But i prefer it on a Shoei or Arai or AGV than a Skully.

Also i heard that, some companies are working - maybe they have already finished - a HUD unit that you can install to any helmet.

I am interested on such a unit more.

[RubberSideDown]

Well, it's early days- when something like this first appears, it usually takes a while to work the bugs out of it (though if I'm selected as a beta-tester I'll be getting a Skully)- I'd rather have a Shoei/Arai/AGV/whatever with this technology on my head as well.

Like it says in the a article, the time is coming when we'll all be wired into a road network (which of course can have disadvantages to those of you who occasionally like to speed- I don't count myself among your law-breaking ilk, of course;)) where a car can be notified of an overtaking bike, i.e., and the additional info can help us all identify potential road hazards.

In the end, you can always turn it off...

[ll2]

i want a chip in my brain to be connected all the time and to see everything in my eyeballs without any extra screen  not kidding. it is a better idea than carrying a smartphone.

Hope we can see those days as well.

 

by the way, the company i was talking about was 'Nuviz'

I am not sure if they are  fully finished yet but you can install it to your favorite brand of helmet.

it is better for me and i might buy it once it is done. It can also take videos/photos etc.

 

I am not afraid of new technology as technology is our best helper if used properly. So, i am open for nice ideas like these HUD displays for bikes.

 

Check the link:

 

http://www.ridenuviz.com/#intro

[Gweiloman]

i want a chip in my brain to be connected all the time and to see everything in my eyeballs without any extra screen  not kidding. it is a better idea than carrying a smartphone.

Hope we can see those days as well.

 

by the way, the company i was talking about was 'Nuviz'

I am not sure if they are  fully finished yet but you can install it to your favorite brand of helmet.

it is better for me and i might buy it once it is done. It can also take videos/photos etc.

 

I am not afraid of new technology as technology is our best helper if used properly. So, i am open for nice ideas like these HUD displays for bikes.

 

Check the link:

 

http://www.ridenuviz.com/#intro

 

God damn! I want one

[ATF]

i want a chip in my brain to be connected all the time and to see everything in my eyeballs without any extra screen  not kidding. it is a better idea than carrying a smartphone.

Hope we can see those days as well.

 

by the way, the company i was talking about was 'Nuviz'

I am not sure if they are  fully finished yet but you can install it to your favorite brand of helmet.

it is better for me and i might buy it once it is done. It can also take videos/photos etc.

 

I am not afraid of new technology as technology is our best helper if used properly. So, i am open for nice ideas like these HUD displays for bikes.

 

Check the link:

 

http://www.ridenuviz.com/#intro

 

Available summer 2014. No rear view but you could rip out your instrument panel and install a rear view screen connected to a camera. In a couple of years hopefully it will be built into every helmet.

[ll2]

 

i want a chip in my brain to be connected all the time and to see everything in my eyeballs without any extra screen  not kidding. it is a better idea than carrying a smartphone.

Hope we can see those days as well.

 

by the way, the company i was talking about was 'Nuviz'

I am not sure if they are  fully finished yet but you can install it to your favorite brand of helmet.

it is better for me and i might buy it once it is done. It can also take videos/photos etc.

 

I am not afraid of new technology as technology is our best helper if used properly. So, i am open for nice ideas like these HUD displays for bikes.

 

Check the link:

 

http://www.ridenuviz.com/#intro

 

Available summer 2014. No rear view but you could rip out your instrument panel and install a rear view screen connected to a camera. In a couple of years hopefully it will be built into every helmet.

 

 

maybe with a Bluetooth or wifi camera, you can direct rear view to the HUD.

Good idea!

[ATF]

II2,

       Makes sense but I think I would prefer to have a screen anyway. Larger display. M/C rearview is terrible especially if you have wide shoulders.

Great product.

[Shurup]

Don't think I like the rear view camera being in the helmet. Turn your head fractionally, and the picture shifts, forcing you to refocus, which doesn't sound to me like a good idea. You need a stable rear view so that your brain can instantly return your eyes to a point of reference and not have to re-establish a new point.

While the idea of having a HUD sounds sexy, I would have to give it a lot of thought as the only way I have survived for 25 years in Thailand is by having my wits totally about me - no distractions of any kind. When a phone call needs to be answered (or gps checked) pull over. And like others here, when I go out for a ride, it's to enjoy the freedom and the countryside, not to have technology biting me in the ass every few seconds.

I think the quote from OP says that all the gadgets will be bluetooth connected. Meaning the camera is probably on the back of the bike. You're right it won't be a good idea to mount a rear view camera on the back of your head.

Sent from a Nuclear Submarine. Edited March 25, 2014 by Shurup

[RubberSideDown]

They started taking pre-orders- $1600 for the 'international edition' (which looks to be the same as the US edition with $200 shipping added- there might be some differences for the GPS). It's a bit pricey- I'd have to read some really good reviews before buying one.

Delivery is estimated for May, so there's still a nine-month wait.

[seedy]

I'll say pricey.

 

Waiting to read those reviews.

 

As an aside - here's a comment made to me many years ago ...

 

" I do not look in my mirrors. Do not like living in the Past "

 

RIP

[ll2]

They started taking pre-orders- $1600 for the 'international edition' (which looks to be the same as the US edition with $200 shipping added- there might be some differences for the GPS). It's a bit pricey- I'd have to read some really good reviews before buying one.

Delivery is estimated for May, so there's still a nine-month wait.

 

rsd, post a review once you get it. 

i m curious and interested on HUD products.

[Garry]

They started taking pre-orders- $1600 for the 'international edition' (which looks to be the same as the US edition with $200 shipping added- there might be some differences for the GPS). It's a bit pricey- I'd have to read some really good reviews before buying one.

Delivery is estimated for May, so there's still a nine-month wait.

I saw a forum thread where they're offering it for $1,399.00 kickstarter type deal, but it will still be next year as RSD stated

Sent from my SM-T211 using Tapatalk

[RubberSideDown]

They started taking pre-orders- $1600 for the 'international edition' (which looks to be the same as the US edition with $200 shipping added- there might be some differences for the GPS). It's a bit pricey- I'd have to read some really good reviews before buying one.

Delivery is estimated for May, so there's still a nine-month wait.

I saw a forum thread where they're offering it for $1,399.00 kickstarter type deal, but it will still be next year as RSD stated

Sent from my SM-T211 using Tapatalk

$1399 is if you order from the US- the international model is $1599, and one hand-signed by the CEO is $1999 (are they kidding?)- the first 25 orders went for $1299.

http://www.skullysystems.com/#perks

Oh yeah- you can get the standard helmet plus a special prototype (only four available) for $25,000... Edited August 12, 2014 by RubberSideDown

[Shurup]

Oh yeah- you can get the standard helmet plus a special prototype (only four available) for $25,000...

For this price it better have something like brain wave accelerator and anti-gravity built in... Unreal...

[bramds]

I was very interested until I saw the price. 

Will wait for a Chinese copy 

[RubberSideDown]

Quality helmet ~$600
Motorcycle GPS ~$600
On-demand tinting shield ~over $100
Rear-facing camera ~$100
Plus other features

Added up, it actually doesn't seem out-of-line, especially for an initial release. If it's a hit, the other manufacturers will enter the HUD market and the prices will drop, but it's always expensive to be an early-adopter.

[dave_boo]

Quality helmet ~$600
Motorcycle GPS ~$600
On-demand tinting shield ~over $100
Rear-facing camera ~$100
Plus other features

Added up, it actually doesn't seem out-of-line, especially for an initial release. If it's a hit, the other manufacturers will enter the HUD market and the prices will drop, but it's always expensive to be an early-adopter.

 Yeah...I agree with your pricing...except for the GPS part.  A motorcycle GPS has the screen and waterproofing and all the validation that goes with that.  Without knowing the GPS system that Skully is utilising, there could be licensing fees that the motorcycle GPS manufacturer has to pay.  As one can purchase a GPS module on ebay for ~14 USD I doubt the GPS has much to do with it.

 

It's more along the lines that the hud, combined with the rear camera, are probably the most expensive part.  A Google Glass goes for ~1500 USD and offers similar features.  Add in that it's a breakout project, meaning the technology had to be developed from scratch, and I do agree it's not that bad of a price.

 

I'd still want to try one of the helmets on before shelling out the money though.