Helmet tech has been advancing rather quickly of late. We’ve seen helmets that promise 100% blind-spot elimination, others that filter the air you breathe in, and even the likes of Sena and Cardo jumping in with their respective “smart” helmets.
Now, Shoei has just turned up with the GT-Air 3 Smart, the world’s first to feature fully integrated augmented reality. To do so, it partnered with the France's EyeLights – the same company that churned out the elusive Rocket One concept last EICMA.
EyeLights specializes in head-up displays (HUD) and Bluetooth audio kits for motorbike helmets. The company employs its third generation of technology for the Shoei outing, fitting the full-face helmet with an integrated visor HUD that projects riding data directly into your field of vision, eliminating the need for external hardware.
According to EyeLights, info such as speed, GPS navigation, calls, and radar warnings are all projected in the field of vision at a distance of three meters. It says that this tech would cut reaction times by more than 32%. Big numbers!
The biggest problem with HUDs is how unreadable some of them are in direct sunlight. But thankfully, the company has taken care of this bit. The projection is carried out via a nano-OLED display, which is supposed to remain readable in Full HD resolution even when the sun hits you directly.
The idea is simple: You get to keep your eyes on the road instead of gazing down at a dash or handlebar-mounted phone. Simply peek slightly upward to glance at all the info you need.
But it’s not just HUD, the GT-Air 3 Smart also comes with a range of other functions – most notably a universal intercom system. The comms system supposedly offers “unlimited” range and is also compatible with all brands.
It works in both online and offline mesh modes. The audio kit includes a microphone with active noise cancellation and supports Siri and Google voice assistants. You should get over 10 hours of battery life, according to EyeLights. No external hardware is needed – the battery, projector, speakers, microphone, and wiring are all completely integrated into the helmet shell.
As for the helmet itself, it still comes with Shoei's stellar safety record, meeting both DOT and ECE 22.06 standards – all thanks to Shoei's AIM (Advanced Integrated Matrix) multi-layer composite, which makes up the shell. While a standard GT-Air 3 alone weighs just about 3.9 lb (1.77 kg), expect the Smart trim to weigh a bit more – though specifics haven’t been disclosed just yet.
The GT-Air 3 Smart also comes with a QSV-2 drop-down sun visor and a Pinlock-ready CNS-1C outer shield. Shoei's Defogger system, which has wide, adjustable intake vents on the top and chin as well as exhaust openings, helps with the airflow.
The helmet comes in five colors: White, Matte Black, Matte Metallic Blue, Matte Metallic Gray, and REALM TC10, and in sizes S to XXL. Pricing comes in at US$1,199. That’s just a little short of almost double the cost of the standard GT-Air 3.
With its array of features, the GT-Air 3 Smart certainly makes for an intriguing buy; however, the likes of Sena’s Phantom is much more affordable at $499 while Cardo’s Beyond GTS matches the ticket price at $1,199. Neither of these come with UHD though, and are mainly targeted at those who want to integrate the intercom directly into their helmets.
So, is the price justified? Well, when you come up with a “world’s first,” I guess you can ask any sort of money for it. Your thoughts?
Source: EyeLights
