Skully Helmets, a new company based in California’s Silicon Valley, is preparing to revolutionize the motorcycle world with its futuristic Skully P1 Helmet.
Although the Skully P1 looks much like any helmet we’d see walking into our local motorcycle shop, that fin on the back of it not only improves its aerodynamics but houses a mini computer as well.
The Skully P1 is called an augmented reality helmet and one of its key features is a 180-degree rear view camera. The camera shows up on a small screen in the lower corner of the visor, allowing riders to see what is behind them and in their blind spots without having to turn around.
The helmet also offers full GPS navigation and smartphone Bluetooth pairing so the rider can listen to turn-by-turn driving instructions or music and make or receive phone calls. Like Jarvis in the movie Iron Man, the helmet is controlled entirely by voice so there is no fumbling around for buttons. It even speaks to the rider, providing weather and other Web-based updates.
The goal is to improve rider safety and awareness. Motorcyclists are often the most vulnerable of road users. The founder of Skully Helmets, Marcus Weller, was himself involved in a motorcycle crash. That’s when he decided it was time to create a helmet with a heads-up display.
Right now, the Skully P1 is still in the beta testing stages but the company is looking forward to a spring 2014 release in North America.
Visit the Skully Helmets website to see the Skully P1 in action.