Amazon’s Alexa is popping up everywhere, so why not inside a smart motorcycle helmet? Taiwanese startup Jarvish has unveiled new headgear featuring the voice-controlled personal assistant and augmented reality tech.
The new X-AR helmet follows the launch of the X helmet last year, Wareable reports. It features the addition of a heads-up display, which will delivery contextual information directly to the eye line.
That information will include traffic and weather conditions, while wearers will also have access to smartphone notifications and media controls without diverting motorcyclists’ attention.
Alexa brings full control over these features thanks to a built-in microphone, with responses coming through internal speakers. Thiscould include customising the visuals, adjusting the volume or asking for directions, for example.
Interestingly, the helmet will also act as rear-view camera thanks to the addition of a 2K full HD sensor that’ll effectively give riders eyes in the back of their heads.
It’ll have 16GB of built-in storage, presumably for offline media and maps and video recording. That can also be be extended to 256GB via a micro SD card, the company says. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are also on board and it’s compatible with iOS and Android phones.
Related: Best Alexa Skills to try today
Battery life is rated at 4 hours, so it’ll be suitable for most trips. More importantly though, the X-AR helmet means all of the necessary safety standards in Europe, North America and Asia.
The Jarvish X-AR will start shipping in early 2019. The pricing is currently unknown, but is likely to cost in excess of $1,000 (£755) when it eventually arrives. For some motorcyclists through, the tech will undoubtedly be worth it.
How do you feel about a HUD within a motorcycle helmet? Do you think having smartphone notifications beamed onto a display would still be distracting? Let us know @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
