Helmet redesign

[SixPackBack]

As an Engineer involved in R&D plenty of thought has gone into the humble motorcycle helmet. IMHO plenty of features could be added, many require not much more than marrying technologies together, others implemented with the minimum of research.
I have compiled a wish list for discussion, derision and addition:

• Visor wiper [think windscreen wiper].
• Heater element.
• Retractable neck warmer.
• Full comms.-including phone, bike-to-bike, radio, music and access to police comms. All voice activated.
• Heads up display. Included would be all the info currently displayed via motorcycle instruments.
• Integrated radar, laser detector/jammer.
• Integrated speakers.
• Replaceable liner elements [with an emphasis on 'easy' and 'cheap']
• Cooling fan [do vents ever really work?]

*Edit*-Solar panels [Naki rat]
-Rear view [Maha man].
-Intergrated HVAC [Robbo]
-Photo sensitive polymer acting as a sun visor [tank]
-Intergrated video/stills camera and GPS [Big Dave]
-Remote placement of electronics [tank]
-Optimised design with the emphasise on silence [renegade master]
- Intergrated indicators and stop light [SPB]

[Slingshot]

Need to add Rocket Launchers.

[unrealone]

Most of those would be cool however a cooling fan buzzing in my ear wouldn't be It's bad enough when the ball bearing goes on your PC fan at work/home, imagine in your helmet? :P

[Naki Rat]

How about solar (PV) panels to complement the power supply to the lekky bits?

[SixPackBack]

Most of those would be cool however a cooling fan buzzing in my ear wouldn't be It's bad enough when the ball bearing goes on your PC fan at work/home, imagine in your helmet? :P

Electronically commutated motor design reduces this to virtual silence, think how noisy an overhead fan is.

How about solar (PV) panels to complement the power supply to the lekky bits?

Good idea, I will add that to the list.

[Maha]

Had thought now for a while that, mirrors on the Pilots helmet would ensure that the pillion could see what is going on behind, or indeed, coming up from behind.

[Robbo]

Any form of successful cooling system for Summertime and self clearing visor for wet weather would get a big ups from me. Good luck with your thoughts and possible designs SPB

[Tank]

Id drop the Heads up display - Last thing I would want is the instruments distracting my view.

Another thing is that since this is the ultimate helmet - you have to ensure it doesn't weigh 20kg.

[Tank]

oh - and add a retractable sun visor that doesn't cause distortion.

[Hinny]

Had thought now for a while that, mirrors on the Pilots helmet would ensure that the pillion could see what is going on behind, or indeed, coming up from behind.

... and check her makeup.

[SixPackBack]

Had thought now for a while that, mirrors on the Pilots helmet would ensure that the pillion could see what is going on behind, or indeed, coming up from behind.

Superlative idea. Micro camera may be in order rather than the clumsy opto-mechanical system currently available, attached to the heads-up display!?

Any form of successful cooling system for Summertime and self clearing visor for wet weather would get a big ups from me. Good luck with your thoughts and possible designs SPB

What you are describing is integrated HVAC [heating, ventilation, and air-con.].
Another good idea.

Id drop the Heads up display - Last thing I would want is the instruments distracting my view.

Another thing is that since this is the ultimate helmet - you have to ensure it doesn't weigh 20kg.

True that. 'Total integration' will look after a lot of the weight, advanced applied materials will take care of the rest. Naturally designing and building with ALL of the listed attributes would initially be excessively expensive-a progressive 'roll out' would be in order.

oh - and add a retractable sun visor that doesn't cause distortion.

A strip of photo sensitive polymer attached to the top edge of the visor may provide a solution.

[Skyryder]

What about a rotating disc (fan) that is activated by air movement and flings off the water. A demister would be helpfull too and a shield that is activated by sunlight for shade but at night is clear. A see-through model might be different if only to show off the bandanna etc.

Skyryder

[James Deuce]

No comms solutions PLEASE. The simple truth of motorcycling is that no one can get you when you're on a bike. If talking to people while driving a car, either on the phone or in the car is akin to driving drunk, what does it do for a motorcyclist's mental bandwidth?

[SixPackBack]

What about a rotating disc (fan) that is activated by air movement and flings off the water. A demister would be helpfull too and a shield that is activated by sunlight for shade but at night is clear. A see-through model might be different if only to show off the bandanna etc.

Rotating disc idea has merit as a method of wiping the visor.

Skyryder

No comms solutions PLEASE. The simple truth of motorcycling is that no one can get you when you're on a bike. If talking to people while driving a car, either on the phone or in the car is akin to driving drunk, what does it do for a motorcyclist's mental bandwidth?

Naturally an 'off' switch would be included as to the motorcyclists 'bandwidth'.......information can be acted upon or ignored, however think of the revolution from men learning to 'multi-task'

[Ocean1]

[*]Heads up display. Included would be all the info currently displayed via motorcycle instruments.

Spooky, was thinking about a multi-channel aftermarket stick-on HUD t'other day. No numbers, just a couple of coloured bar-graph strips and mebee a couple of alarms.

Thort I'd talk to Viffer about it on account of how him and his boy seem well capable in that line...

No comms solutions PLEASE. The simple truth of motorcycling is that no one can get you when you're on a bike. If talking to people while driving a car, either on the phone or in the car is akin to driving drunk, what does it do for a motorcyclist's mental bandwidth?

Yup. But the whole point of a HUD is that data shouldn't impinge too much on riding-focus. And at visor-range I doubt there's be any way you could see detail anyway, just a couple of strips of colour across the top would be good... Bluetooth?