This helmet may just be a concept, but it aims to bring technology to the world of cycling headwear. It is also ridiculous.
While it may look like it was created as part of an elaborate joke, apparently Toby King’s “Smart Hat” is being taken (vaguely) seriously. The Sydney-based designer is said to have presented the helmet at a local city council as a concept for licensing cyclists — and councillor called Simon Menzies reportedly approves.
The helmet supposedly integrates “modern, electronic safety devices”. Replete with “bluetooth, a display with speaker, full satnav, speedometer, speed zones, temperature, heart rate, tilt sensor, ultrasonic object proximity warning, turn signal indicators…” the idea sure is ambitious. And it looks so… odd.
It also has cyclists in somewhat of a spin, especially the part on the website that explains: “Apart from safety considerations, it is desirable to be able to identify cyclists to make them accountable for their behaviour in a similar way to drivers of motor vehicles.” Hence the licence plate on the back of the helmet.
Typically not fans of being told they’d need to be registered on the road — “Pedestrians use the road. DO THE PEDESTRIANS PAY FOR REGISTRATION?” (something I agree with, for what it’s worth) — it is, indeed, hard to see how a helmet alone will suddenly change road law relating to cycling around the world. Chances are, it won’t. Chances are, this will remain a concept. I sure hope so. [Smart Hat]
