A helmet might provide protection to the head in the event of an accident, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the wearer won’t be knocked unconscious or otherwise incapacitated. The ICEdot Crash Sensor pairs to a smartphone to automatically send a call for help, complete with GPS coordinates, when an accident is detected. The system also provides first responders with the accident victim’s medical information.
Unlike the similar VITAband that uses RFID technology, the ICEdot system consists of a slim sensor that can be mounted onto a helmet and pairs to a smartphone via Bluetooth low energy (BLE). When the sensor detects forces consistent with an accident, the smartphone app gives the user 30 seconds to shut down a countdown clock. If this timer is not canceled, the app will then send out a notification to all the user’s nominated emergency contacts, complete with GPS coordinates.
This level of separation between the app and emergency services, which lets a person's emergency contacts make the decision on whether the emergency services are required or not, prevents non-life-threatening impacts, such as dropping the helmet, from wasting the authorities’ time.
Not just for cyclists, the ICEdot Crash Sensor is aimed at snowboarders, skiers, mountain-bikers, or really anyone participating in risky activities that might take them off the beaten track.
The ICEdot Crash Sensor and accompanying app is expected to cost around US$200 when it is launched next year. The system also requires an annual subscription fee of $10 and is endorsed by the American Ambulance Association.
Source: ICEdot via GearJunkie
