California company Skully Helmets is working on a head-up display helmet that would offer a variety of useful functions and will be on sale this year, they say.
The Skully AR-1 displays information in a semi-transparent rectangle on the lower-right part of the visor that includes a 180-degree rear view, and voice-command GPS information. The HUD system also includes an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a thermometer, and a compass.
The helmet will meet U.S. DOT standards and European ECE, they say.
With the number of companies now working on head-up display motorcycle helmets, it seems inevitable that they will soon appear on the market in significant numbers. Skully offers riders a chance to become beta testers with pre-release models, and the company says a large number of riders have applied for that through their website.
Other HUD helmets are in the works, and a British company, Reevu has one on the market, while LiveMap is working on one, and NuViz is getting set to offer a HUD that will mount on any full-face helmet. These items won’t be cheap, but the HUD idea will almost certainly proliferate the way ABS has. It’s important to note that the display inside a HUD-equipped helmet is not meant to be looked at directly, but rather seen in peripheral vision while riding, so the rider’s focus remains where it needs to be — in front.
