Taiwanese company Jarvish has launched a crowd-funding campaign and discounts to produce their X and X-AR smart helmets that include a host of technology as well as voice-only access to Siri, Amazon Alexa and OK Google control.
Other features are a carbonfibre shell, front and rear 1080p 360-degree cameras, Bluetooth audio, active noise cancelling to reduce wind noise, a drop-down HUD screen, and integrated satellite navigation.
A range of those features has been promised in other smart helmets, but none promises all of them.
There are other points of difference:
- The cameras will not only record video on 16 GB of internal storage plus a 256GB card slot but the rear camera can also be used as a rear view mirror;
- Its head-up display screen is voice-activated to retract and deploy so it isn’t in your face the whole time;
- Automated sensors turn the helmet on when you put it on and turns off when you remove the helmet;
- Gyro, e-compass, accelerometer and ambient light sensors analyse the weather and road conditions to provide real-time alerts;
- Access to Siri, Alexa and OK Google is voice activated without having to tap a button; and
- Wireless charging.
They launched their Kickstarter campaign with early bird pledge offers. That has now raised more than $420,000 and they have now launched an Indiegogo campaign.
The full-featured X-AR is being offered at $US899 (about $A1230) compared with the retail price after the campaign of $US1599 ($A2190). It is scheduled for delivery in September 2019.
A “budget” X version without HUD and the rear camera will cost $US399 ($A545) for early bird backers compared with the retail price of $US699 ($A950). Delivery is planned for April 2019.
Shipping will be free in the UK and US, but $US100 (about $A135) elsewhere.
Jarvish promises to deliver
The Jarvish HUD promises to show “critical information” such as bike speed, local speed limit, time, weather, chance of rain, media, phone calls, fuel stops, compass, navigation, traffic alerts, and even “road slip notifications”.
That’s a lot of information available to overload the rider and possibly make the helmet very heavy.
However, voice activation means the rider can keep their eyes on the road and hands on the bars while control the cameras, make a call, adjust the volume, play music and more.
Even with all that technology and capability, the ECE and DOT-approved carbon helmets weigh only 14.kg for the X and 1.7kg for the X-AR.
Battery life will be six hours for the X. The extra tech in the X-AR will drain the military-grade solid-state flexible type lithium ceramic battery in four hours.
There is also an Android and iOS app that comes with the helmet to widen its capabilities.
Smart revolution
There have been many smart helmets promised, but only a few have materialised and not with all the trimmings as this promises.
So it would be understandable if riders were sceptical about this product materialising as promised next year.
However, at least they are not asking for crowd funding as most others have, including the infamous Skully which squandered its funding on fast cars and fast women and was then supposed to be resurrected by now.
Skully helmet